Wholihan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Early Origins of the Wholihan family

Early History of the Wholihan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wholihan research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wholihan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wholihan Spelling Variations

Within the archives researched, many different spelling variations of the surname Wholihan were found. These included One reason for the many variations is that scribes and church officials often spelled an individual's name as it sounded. This imprecise method often led to many versions. Holohan, O'Holohan, Mulholland, Highland, Hoolohan, Houlihan, Hooligan, Whelton, Oulihan, Oulahen, Whoolahan and many more.

Early Notables of the Wholihan family

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

Migration of the Wholihan family

During the 19th century thousands of impoverished Irish families made the long journey to British North America and the United States. These people were leaving a land that had become beset with poverty, lack of opportunity, and hunger. In North America, they hoped to find land, work, and political and religious freedoms. Although the majority of the immigrants that survived the long sea passage did make these discoveries, it was not without much perseverance and hard work: by the mid-19th century land suitable for agriculture was short supply, especially in British North America, in the east; the work available was generally low paying and physically taxing construction or factory work; and the English stereotypes concerning the Irish, although less frequent and vehement, were, nevertheless, present in the land of freedom, liberty, and equality for all men. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. Research into passenger and immigration lists has brought forth evidence of the early members of the Wholihan family in North America: Daniel, David, John, Michael, Patrick and Owen Hollahan and David and Michael Mulholand, who all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.