Donegan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Thousands of Irish left in their homeland in the 18th and 19th centuries to escape the religious and political discrimination they experienced primarily at the hands of the English, and in the search of a plot of land to call their own. These immigrants arrived at the eastern shores of North America, early on settling and breaking the land, and, later, building the bridges, canals, and railroads essential to the emerging nations of United States and Canada. Many others would toil for low wages in the dangerous factories of the day. Although there had been a steady migration of Irish to North America over these years, the greatest influx of Irish immigrants came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name Donegan or a variant listed above:

Donegan Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Thomas Donegan, the Earl of Limerick, who became Governor of New York from 1683 to 1691

Donegan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Patrick Donegan, who settled in Maryland in 1742

Donegan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• James Donegan, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1824 3
• John Donegan, aged 33, who arrived in Missouri in 1842 3
• Clancy Donegan, who settled in New Orleans in 1849
• Andrew Donegan, who landed in Harford County, Maryland in 1861 3
• Lawrence Donegan, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1876 3
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Donegan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Catherine Donegan, aged 18, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1837 aboard the barque "Robert Watt" from Cork, Ireland
• Miss. Margaret Donegan, aged 5 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Corea" departing 2nd July 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 14th August 1847 but she died on board 4
• Ms. Mary Donegan, aged 25 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "John and Robert" departing 9th June 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 6th August 1847 but she died on board 4
• Mr. William Donegan, aged 2 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Emigrant" departing 11th August 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 3rd October 1847 but he died on board 4

Donegan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. James Donegan, (Lonergan), (b. 1800), aged 22, Irish ploughman who was convicted in Cork, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Countess of Harcourt" on 3rd September 1822, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
• Mr. Owen Donegan, Irish farm labourer who was convicted in County Meath, Ireland for life for house breaking, transported aboard the "Captain Cook" on 5th November 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
• Julia Donegan, aged 16, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Elgin" 7
• W. Donegan, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Athenian" in 1849 8
• Julia Donegan, aged 16, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Elgin" in 1849 7

• Michael Barry Donegan (b. 1978), American singer, songwriter, writer and political activist
• Dan Donegan (b. 1968), American musician and guitarist
• Dorothy Donegan (1924-1998), American classically trained jazz pianist
• Patrick S "Paddy" Donegan (1923-2000), Irish Fine Gael Party politician
• Horace William Baden Donegan (1900-1991), English prelate of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, Bishop of New York (1950 to 1972)
• Anthony James "Lonnie" Donegan MBE (1931-2002), Scottish skiffle musician with more than 20 UK Top 30 hits to his name