Show ContentsBannon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Bannon name is derived from the Gaelic ó Banàin, though there has been much confusion about this name involving the Irish Gaelic word bàn, which means "white."

Early Origins of the Bannon family

The surname Bannon was first found in the barony of Clonisk, in the southern tip of County Offaly (Irish: Uíbh Fháilí) originally the Kingdom of Uí Failghe, located in central Ireland in the Province of Leinster, where a Medieval Sept of this name was found.

Early History of the Bannon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bannon research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1152, 1172, 1316, 1319, 1585, 1659, 1796, 1798, 1842 and 1865 are included under the topic Early Bannon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bannon Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Banain, O'Bannon, Banim, O'Bannaghan, Bannaghan, O'Banan and many more.

Early Notables of the Bannon family

Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bannon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bannon Ranking

In the United States, the name Bannon is the 7,436th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1


United States Bannon migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bannon Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Owen Bannon, who was a forced emigrant, arriving in America in 1737
Bannon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Michael Bannon, aged 23, who landed in New York, NY in 1803 2
  • Ann Bannon, who arrived at the port of New York in 1805
  • Patk Bannon, who landed in America in 1805 2
  • Ann Bannon, who landed in America in 1805 2
  • Peter Bannon, who arrived in New York, NY in 1815 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Bannon migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bannon Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. James Bannon U.E. who arrived in Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 359 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 off East River, New York 3
  • Mrs. Elizabeth Bannon U.E. who arrived in Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 509 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 off East River, New York 3
  • Miss Sarah Bannon U.E. (b. 1769), aged 14 who arrived in Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 547 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 off East River, New York 3
Bannon Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Bannon, aged 28, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
  • Mr. Honore Bannon, aged 25 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Larch" departing from the port of Sligo, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 4
  • Mr. James Bannon, aged 3 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Bee" departing 17th April 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 12th June 1847 but he died on board 5
  • Mrs. Martha Bannon, aged 63 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Naparina" departing 17th June 1847 from Dublin, Ireland; the ship arrived on 23rd August 1847 but she died on board 5

Australia Bannon migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Bannon Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Bannon, (b. 1797), aged 30, Irish farm labourer from Longford who was convicted in Westmeath, Ireland for life for manslaughter, transported aboard the "Cambridge" on 2nd June 1827, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
  • Mr. William Bannon, (b. 1805), aged 22, Irish farm labourer from Longford who was convicted in Westmeath, Ireland for life for manslaughter, transported aboard the "Cambridge" on 2nd June 1827, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1837 6
  • Mrs. Mary Bannon, (Dannon), (b. 1813), aged 36, Irish servant who was convicted in County Carlow, Ireland for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Earl Grey" on 17th December 1849, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), she died in 1861 7
  • Miss. Rose Bannon, (b. 1830), aged 19, Irish house maid who was convicted in Cavan, Ireland for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Australasia" on 26th June 1849, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
  • Mary Bannon, aged 19, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Europa" 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Bannon migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Bannon Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Stephen Bannon, aged 24, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hudson" in 1879

Contemporary Notables of the name Bannon (post 1700) +

  • Ann Bannon (b. 1932), pen name of Ann Weldy, an American author who wrote six lesbian pulp fiction novels known as The Beebo Brinker Chronicles
  • John James "Jack" Bannon (1940-2017), American television and stage actor, best known for his role as Art Donovan on Lou Grant (1977-1982)
  • Stephen Kevin "Steve" Bannon (b. 1953), American campaign manager, businessman, and media executive, White House Chief Strategist and Senior Counselor to the President; he was fired on August 18, 2017
  • Jack Bannon (b. 1940), American actor
  • Jim Bannon (1911-1984), American radio and film actor
  • Chad Bannon (b. 1970), American television and film actor
  • Bruce Bannon (b. 1951), American professional NFL football player
  • James Bannon (b. 1959), Irish politician, farmer, and auctioneer
  • John Charles Bannon AO (1943-2015), Australian politician, 39th Premier of South Australia (1982-1992)
  • John Bannon (b. 1943), Australian politician and academic
  • ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Pemberton Mill
  • Miss Mary Ann Bannon (1848-1860), , factory worker in the Pemberton Mill on 10th January 1860 when the mill collapsed trapping 900 workers as rescue attempts continued into the night, an oil lantern was knocked over further engulfing the trapped workers in fire, she was trapped in the rubble handing her pay envelope to a friend asking to big her father good-bye and died
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. John Joseph Bannon (d. 1912), aged 32, English Greaser from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 10


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  4. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 12)
  5. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 64)
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 2nd December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cambridge
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 18th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-grey
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/australasia
  9. South Australian Register Monday 14th May 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Europa 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/europa1855.shtml
  10. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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