Irish surnames are all based on the Gaelic language native to Ireland. The original Gaelic form of the name Grahan is "O Gormghaile" in Connacht, or "O Goirmleadhaigh" in Ulster.
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Early Origins of the Grahan family
The surname Grahan was first found in County Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall), northwest Ireland in the province of Ulster, sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel, where the Grahan family held a seat from very ancient times.
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Early History of the Grahan family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grahan research. Another 208 words (15 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Grahan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Grahan Spelling Variations
Pronunciation, rather than spelling, guided scribes and church officials when recording names during the Middle Ages. This practice often resulted in one person's name being recorded under several different spellings. Numerous spelling variations of the surname Grahan are preserved in these old documents. The various spellings of the name that were found include Gormley, O'Gormley, Grehan, Gormleigh, Gormly, Gormlie, Grimes and many more.
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Early Notables of the Grahan family
More information is included under the topic Early Grahan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Grahan family
A massive amount of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century for North America and Australia in hopes of finding more opportunities and an escape from discrimination and oppression. A great portion of these migrants arrived on the eastern shores of the North American continent. Although they were generally poor and destitute, and, therefore, again discriminated against, these Irish people were heartily welcomed for the hard labor involved in the construction of railroads, canals, roadways, and buildings. Many others were put to work in the newly established factories or agricultural projects that were so essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the world. The Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s initiated the largest wave of Iris immigration. Early North American immigration and passenger lists have revealed a number of people bearing the name Grahan or a variant listed above: Michael Gormley, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1840; and Thady, John, Bridget, Catherine and Mary Gormley who settled in Quebec in 1848.
Ireland
