Surname Moylan - Meaning and Origin
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Moylan: What does the surname Moylan mean?
The surname Moylan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "O Maoileáin," meaning "descendant of the devotee of St. John." This name is often linked to the province of Munster in the southern part of Ireland and is particularly associated with the region of County Cork. It has been in use since the medieval times, emphasizing its strong historical and familial ties to Irish culture and tradition. Like many surnames with Gaelic roots, it was originally a patronymic name, representing the familial link to a revered ancestor. Over time, this name evolved into its Anglo-Saxon form which is now recognized as Moylan.
Order DNA origin analysisMoylan: Where does the name Moylan come from?
The last name Moylan is most commonly found in Ireland and parts of Britain. In Ireland, the name is most associated with County Limerick in the mid-west of the country - it is estimated that around 1,500 Moylan families are living in the Limerick and Tipperary areas. There are also Moylan families in parts of Northern Ireland, particularly in Belfast, as well as in various counties of England.
The name often carries connotations of links to the ancient Irish kingdom of Thomond which was founded in the 10th century by the HyMany sept of the Uí Fiachrach, with Moylan as the patronym. In Irish Gaelic the name is spelt "Maoilean", a combination of "maol" [bald] and "ein" reason].
Moylan families also began to emigrate to other parts of the world in the 19th and 20th centuries, especially the United States, Canada and Australia. The US Census of 2000 noted more than 4,000 people in the US with the last name Moylan, spread across more than 22 states. Canada has more than 1,000. And Australia around the same number.
By and large the name is still strongly associated with Ireland and is not overly common in many other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Moylan
The surname Moylan is an anglicised version of the Irish name Ó Maoláin which is derived from the Gaelic word ‘Maolán’ meaning ‘bald’. It is found principally in the areas of Cork, Waterford, Kerry and Clare in Ireland. It is also found in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Variations on Moylan include the spelling variations ‘Moylin, Molan, Moilan, Mullan, Molan, Mulin, O’Mullan’ and ‘O’Mullane’.
Variants of Moylan include the modern Irish forms of ‘Maoileoin, Maoláin, Maolgháin, Maolbheannán and Maoilmhin’. The shortened forms ‘Malin, Molin and Molyneux’ are also found.
Surnames of similar origin include the Irish names ‘O’Maoldomhnaigh, O’Maoldín, Ó Maonaigh, O’Moon, Ó Madagáin’, and ‘Ó Maonaigh’. There are also numerous variants of the Scottish names ‘Mann, MacLain and MacLane’.
Other closely related surnames are ‘Mailloux, Maillou, Mailloux, Milam, Melanson, Melin, Mallon, Mallen, Malloy and Mulloy’.
Moylan is a surname with many spellings, variants and closely related surnames, testifying to its long and varied history.
Famous people with the name Moylan
- Daniel Moylan: a former Deputy Leader of the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
- Thomas Moylan: an Irish Marxist scholar, writer, composer and poet.
- Andrew Moylan: president of the R Street Institute, a non-partisan think tank.
- Toby Emmerich: the CEO of Warner Bros., who was born with the name Toby E. Moylan.
- John Moylan: an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who has served in the Irish Seanad.
- T.R. Moylan: a playwright and actor from Canada.
- Jamel Robinson Moylan: an American football player and former safety for the Indianapolis Colts.
- Jessica Moylan-Fowler: an Australian playwright.
- Sara Moylan: an American musician, producer and songwriter.
- Eric Moylan: a British and Irish multi-instrumentalist and songwriter.
- Tom Moylan: a British schoolteacher and amateur cricketer.
- John MoylanI: a former professional lacrosse player in the National Lacrosse League.
- Elizabeth Moylan:Moylan, a former Justice of the Peace from Belfast, Northern Ireland.
- Dan Moylan: an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, ”Irish Assassin” Dan Moylan.
- James and Joseph Moylan: two Australian World War I soldiers who received the Victoria Cross for their bravery, the highest British Military medal for gallantry.