| ![Show Contents]() MacHan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Ireland Wales Throughout history, very few Irish surnames have exclusively maintained their original forms. Before being translated into English, MacHan appeared as Mac Cana, which is derived from the word cana, which means wolf cub. Early Origins of the MacHan familyThe surname MacHan was first found in County Armagh (Irish: Ard Mhacha) located in the province of Ulster in present day Northern Ireland, at Clanbrasil, a region on the southern shore of Lough Neagh. The family supplanted the O'Graveys at the time of Strongbow's Anglo-Norman invasion in 1172 as lords of this area and became known as the Lords of Clanbrassil. One of the earliest records of the name was Amhlaibh Mc Canna (died 1155), described by the Four Masters as "pillar of chivalry and vigour of Cinel Eoghin" 1 Early History of the MacHan familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacHan research. Another 38 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1155, 1598 and 1718 are included under the topic Early MacHan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. MacHan Spelling VariationsThe recording of names in Ireland during the Middle Ages was an inconsistent endeavor at best. Since the general population did not know how to read or write, they could only specify how their names should be recorded orally. Research into the name MacHan revealed spelling variations, including MacCann, MacCanna, MacCan, MacAnn, MacAn and others. Early Notables of the MacHan familyAnother 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacHan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 MacHan migration to the United States | + |
A great mass of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century, seeking relief from various forms of social, religious, and economic discrimination. This Irish exodus was primarily to North America. If the migrants survived the long ocean journey, many unfortunately would find more discrimination in the colonies of British North America and the fledgling United States of America. These newly arrived Irish were, however, wanted as a cheap source of labor for the many large agricultural and industrial projects that were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the western world. Early immigration and passenger lists indicate many people bearing the MacHan name:
MacHan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- David Machan, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1727 2
- James Machan, who settled in Virginia in 1754
MacHan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Bernard Machan, aged 45, who landed in New York in 1812 2
| Contemporary Notables of the name MacHan (post 1700) | + |
- Tibor Richard Machan (1939-2016), Hungarian American philosopher
- William J. Machan, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Onondaga County 2nd District, 1855 3
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Crescit sub pondere virtus
Motto Translation: Virtue thrives under oppression.
- MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
- 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)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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MacHan migration to the United States 
