Surname Stranahan - Meaning and Origin
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Stranahan: What does the surname Stranahan mean?
The surname Stranahan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "O Srandain" which means "descendant of Srandan." The term "Srandan" is supposed to have been derived from the word "srann" meaning "snort" or "jester" in Gaelic. Therefore, the original bearers of the surname might have been jesters or were known for their sense of humor. However, surname meanings can vary as they evolved over centuries, moved locations and translations varied. Further research indicates that the Stranahan family lived in County Clare, on the west coast of Ireland, prior to emigration due to the Great Famine, dispersing to various parts of the world, especially the United States. Like many surnames, Stranahan has undergone changes in spellings over the years and may also be found as Stranaghan, Straghan, and Strahan, among others.
Order DNA origin analysisStranahan: Where does the name Stranahan come from?
The last name Stranahan is thought to be mainly located within the United States of America. The most concentrated location is located in Ohio. In fact, a majority of Stranahans in the United States trace their ancestors to the county of Butler in Ohio. There are also cities in other states where the last name is prevalent, including Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Illinois.
The origins of the name Stranahan are thought to be of Scottish descent, though there is also some evidence that suggests it is of Irish descent, too. The first recorded version of the name was most likely in Scotland in the 1800s. In the early 2000s, there were nearly 6,000 individuals living in the United States with the last name Stranahan.
Today, the last name is still quite common within the United States and can be found in various states, though it is most strongly concentrated in Ohio. It is also thought that the last name is quite common in Canada and Australia. Research shows that Stranahans in both countries originated from individuals who emigrated from the United States.
Variations of the surname Stranahan
The surname Stranahan is of Irish origin and has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants are Stranaghan, Straney, Straneyhan and Straneyhaun. Other variants include Strany, Stranyhan, Strannie, Stranni, Strann, Stranniehaun, Stranye, Stranyhaun, Straney, Stranyhaun and Stranichan.
The surname is also commonly spelled Straneyhan, Stranichan, Stranichaun, Strannichan, Strannichean, Strannicheaun, Stranishan, Stanishon, Strannichean, Strannicheoun, Stranichon, and Strannichon. Other spellings include Stranahane, Strannichane, and Strannychan.
The prefix ‘Stran’ is derived from the Irish word ‘stráin’ which means stream or river and ‘han’ from the Irish ‘?nn’ meaning ancestor or descendant. The literal meaning of the surname is therefore ‘descendant of the river’ or ‘descendant of the stream’.
The Stranahan surname is also associated with a number of other surnames of Irish origin, including Stranahan, Stranage, Stranos, Strandard, and Stratan. As the Stranahan surname originated in Ireland, many of the variants and spellings listed above are derived from the original Irish forms.
Famous people with the name Stranahan
- Jay Stranahan: singer-songwriter & producer
- Cynthia Stranahan: former member of the United States Congress
- Kay Stranahan: classical composer and jazz pianist
- Amy Stranahan: American writer and television producer
- Hugh Stranahan: former radio announcer and executive producer
- Irving Stranahan: American lawyer and politician
- Suzanne Stranahan: former Miss California 1990
- Chris Stranahan: American mixed martial artist
- Bill Stranahan: professional banjo player and arranger
- June Stranahan: pioneering American journalist