Surname Straughan - Meaning and Origin

Straughan: What does the surname Straughan mean?

The surname Straughan is of Irish origin, derived from the Old Gaelic "O Sruithain", which means "descendant of Sruithan." The name Sruithan is derived from the Gaelic "sruith", translating to scholar. Therefore, the surname Straughan could potentially mean 'descendant of the scholar'. This name was commonly used in County Monaghan and Fermanagh during early times. Like many other surnames, it has seen various spellings over the years, including Straghan, Strain, Stran, and Strawhan among others. The distribution and frequency of the surname increased with migration to Scotland and England. Today, the Straughan surname is found in many countries all over the world.

Straughan: Where does the name Straughan come from?

The surname Straughan is believed to originate from England, primarily the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, as well as Scotland. The common variant, Strawhan, is found in both Scotland and Northern Ireland. Today, the name is most commonly found in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, with a few scattered occurrences around the world.

In England, family name records show Straughan in various parts of the country, but largely in the south-eastern counties of Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. In Scotland, the surname is mostly found in the region of Lanarkshire, as well as Perthshire, Fife, Aberdeenshire, and neighbouring counties. According to family history sources, Straughan families typically trace their roots back to the Lowlands.

In the United States, Straughan is mostly found in the states of Pennsylvania, California, and New Jersey, with a few other people scattered around the country. In Australia, it is quite rare, however records from 1916 show at least one family with the name living in Western Australia.

Overall, Straughan is not a very common name, but the data reveals that it is mainly located in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the United States.

Variations of the surname Straughan

The surname Straughan can be found in many variants worldwide and it has various spellings and surnames of the same origin. Some of these alternate versions include: Strathen, Straithan, Stretham, Strarragan, Stretton, Struthen, Straughton, Stretton, Straiton and Straichan.

In England, Straughan is believed to be of English origin, and stands as an habitation name coming from any of the places found in counties of Cambridgeshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire and Westmorland. The place name has been derived from Old English words ‘streoh’, meaning ‘stream’ and ‘hou’, which means ‘hill’. Therefore, the name translates to mean a ‘stream by the hill’.

In Scotland, the name is believed to be of Scottish origin, and derived from the ancient Gaelic term ‘Srathachan’, which was the name of a small region in Perthshire, Scotland. It is either derived from the word ‘sighe’ meaning ‘peaceful’ or from the word ‘srath’ meaning ‘valley’.

The Straughan family is believed to have arrived in the United Kingdom in the late 12th century, as they hailed from the Strachan area of Aberdeenshire in Scotland.

In Ireland, the name Straughan is of Anglo-Irish origin, and is derived from Struttin in the barony of Clanwilliam, Tipperary.

The Straughan family is often linked with other various types of surnames. Spellings such as Strutin, Stratthon and Stratton are believed to have derived from Straughan. As well, other related names include Strudwick, Struassian, Strittle and Strudhs.

In the United States of America, the Straughan name is mainly found in the states of Illinois, Pennsylvania and California.

The Straughan surname has a strong presence and long-standing history. Throughout centuries of history and presence in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States, the surname has come to be accepted and recognized as a family name.

Famous people with the name Straughan

• Tom Straughan: An actor, screenwriter, and director, Tom Straughan is best known for his work on the film Son of Rambow (2008).
• Brian Straughan: Brian Straughan is a Scottish actor who is most known for his roles in Outlander and Game of Thrones.
• Douglas Straughan: A Canadian actor, Douglas Straughan starred in films such as Ghostbusters (1984) and The Razor's Edge (1984).
• Robert Straughan: Robert Straughan is an English actor, best known for hisrole as Kermit in The Muppet Show (1978).
• Mike Straughan: Mike Straughan is an American stand-up comedian, radio host, actor, and writer, best known for his work on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2005-2014).
• John Straughan: British actor John Straughan has appeared in a variety of television shows and films. He is best known for his roles in Camberwick Green (1966) and The Greek Tycoon (1978).
• Glynis Straughan: British actress Glynis Straughan is best known for her role as Nurse Fenton in the 1966 British television series Telephone Hour.
• Simon Straughan: Simon Straughan is an English actor and writer best known for his roles in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (1981) and Midsomer Murders (1997).
• Richard Straughan: British actor Richard Straughan played Sam Townley in the popular television series King of the Hill (1995-1999).
• Cecily Straughan: American actress Cecily Straughan is best known for playing the role of Anna in the television series Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005).

Other surnames

StraughnStraughton