Show ContentsLangen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

There are many Irish surnames being used today in forms that are quite different than their original, ancient forms. Langen originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Longain, which is derived from the word long, which means tall. 1

Early Origins of the Langen family

The surname Langen was first found in Down (Irish:An Dún) part of the Province of Ulster, in Northern Ireland, formerly known as county St Mirren, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Langen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Langen research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1689 and 1758 are included under the topic Early Langen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Langen 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 Langen family name include Langan, Longan, Langen, Longen, O'Lonagain, Langhan, Langin, O'Langane, O'Longane, O'Langan and many more.

Early Notables of the Langen family

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


United States Langen migration to the United States +

Ireland became inhospitable for many native Irish families in the 19th centuries. Poverty, lack of opportunities, high rents, and discrimination forced thousands to leave the island for North America. The largest exodus of Irish settlers occurred with the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. For these immigrants the journey to British North America and the United States was long and dangerous and many did not live to see the shores of those new lands. Those who did make it were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest and most powerful nations of the world. These Irish immigrants were not only important for peopling the new settlements and cities, they also provided the manpower needed for the many industrial and agricultural projects so essential to these growing nations. Immigration and passenger lists have documented the arrival of various people bearing the name Langen to North America:

Langen Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • William Langen, who sailed to Pennsylvania in 1777
  • William Langen, aged 20, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1777 2
Langen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Maria Langen, who landed in America in 1837 2
  • Franziska Langen, who arrived in Texas in 1846 2
  • Bern Jos Heinr Langen, who landed in America in 1850 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Langen (post 1700) +

  • Odin Elsford Stanley Langen (1913-1976), American Republican politician, Member of Minnesota State House of Representatives 67th District, 1951-58; U.S. Representative from Minnesota, 1959-71 3
  • Albert Langen, German publisher who founded the highly influential satirical journal "Simplicissmus" in 1869


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
  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. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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