Gannan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of Gannan

What does the name Gannan mean?

Hundreds of years ago, the Gaelic name used by the Gannan family in Ireland was Mag Fhionnain, derived from the word "fionn," which means "fair."

Early Origins of the Gannan family

The surname Gannan was first found in County Mayo (Irish: Maigh Eo) located on the West coast of the Republic of Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Gannan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gannan research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1798 is included under the topic Early Gannan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gannan Spelling Variations

Just like the English language, the Gaelic language of Ireland was not standardized in the Middle Ages. Therefore, one's name was often recorded under several different spellings during the life of its bearer. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origins of the Gannan family name include Gannon, Ganon and others.

Early Notables of the Gannan family

More information is included under the topic Early Gannan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gannan migration to the United States +

Death and immigration greatly reduced Ireland's population in the 19th century. For the native Irish people poverty, hunger, and racial prejudice was common. Therefore, thousands left their homeland to seek opportunity in North America. Those who survived the journey and the quarantine camps to which they arrived, were instrumental towards building the strong developing nations of the United States and the future Canada. By far, the largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. These were employed as construction or factory workers. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has shown early immigrants bearing the name Gannan:

Gannan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Hugh Gannan, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 1

Sources +

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)