Goggins History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales
Ireland
Scotland

Celtic in origin, the name Goggins came from the rugged landscape of Wales. The name's origins go back to a time when the Goggins family lived in the parish of Cogan, which is in the diocese of Llandaff in the county of Glamorgan. The name literally means "a cup or bowl" 1 and probably meant "dweller in a bowl-shaped valley." 2

Early Origins of the Goggins family

The surname Goggins was first found in Glamorganshire (Welsh: Sir Forgannwg), a region of South Wales, anciently part of the Welsh kingdom of Glywysing at Cogan, a parish, in the union of Cardiff, hundred of Dinas-Powys, county of Glamorgan, South Wales. 3

"Cogan or Coggan is an ancient west of England name. There was a John de Cogan, of Hunispull, Somerset, in the reign of Edward I.; and in the reign of Richard II., William Cogan was sheriff of the county. De Cogan was a name found also in different parts of Devonshire in the time of Edward I., and it has long been an old Tiverton name." 4

Exploring Somerset in more detail, Richard Cogan was registered there 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III) 5 and the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: John de Cogan, Somerset; and John de Cogan, Devon 6

"From this it is clear that the south-west forms of the surname are derived from the Llandaff parish. To Somerset and Devon was not a long journey." 6

In Devon, Bampton was the passed from the Paganell "heiress to Sir Milo Cogan, 'the great soldier and undertaker of the Irish Conquest.' Her descendant, Richard Cogan, had licence in 1336 to castellate his mansion house at Bampton, and to empark his wood and other lands at Uffculme. Every vestige of the castle has long disappeared." 7

Scotland was home to the family about this time. "Peter Cogan witnessed the gift of an acre of land in Coldingham to the monks of St. Cuthbert, and Robert Cogan witnessed a charter of lands in Raynigton to the Priory of Coldingham, 1275. Robert Cogan del counte de Berewyk rendered homage, 1296. [(to King Edward I during his invasion of Scotland)]" 8

The name "is uncommon in the Isle of Man." 9

Early History of the Goggins family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Goggins research. Another 183 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1230, 1233, 1278, 1545, 1591, 1593, 1605, 1607, 1684, 1686, 1716, 1723, 1731, 1780 and 1809 are included under the topic Early Goggins History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Goggins Spelling Variations

Although there are comparatively few Welsh surnames, they have a great many spelling variations. Variations of Welsh names began almost immediately after their acceptance within Welsh society. In the Middle Ages, it was up to priests and the few other people that recorded names in official documents to decide how to spell the names that they heard. Variations that occurred because of improper recording increased dramatically as the names were later transliterated into English. The Brythonic Celtic language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, featured many highly inflected sounds that could not be properly captured by the English language. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were all indicated by the particular variation of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Goggins have included Cogan, Cogen, Coogan, Coogen, Coogin, Coggan, Coggen, Coggin, Coggins, Gogan, Goggin and many more.

Early Notables of the Goggins family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Thomas Cogan (1545?-1607), English physician, born about 1545 at Chard, Somersetshire. He was educated at Oxford. He practised as a physician at Manchester. Before 1686 he married Ellen, daughter of Sir Edmund...
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Goggins Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Goggins Ranking

In the United States, the name Goggins is the 12,049^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 10

Migration of the Goggins family to Ireland

Some of the Goggins family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 93 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Goggins migration to Canada +

The Welsh began to emigrate to North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s in search of land, work, and freedom. Those that arrived helped shape the industry, commerce, and the cultural heritage of both Canada and the United States. The records regarding immigration and passenger show a number of people bearing the name Goggins:

Goggins Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Thomas Goggins, aged 25, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Matilda" from Cork, Ireland

Contemporary Notables of the name Goggins (post 1700) +

J. M. Goggins, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1916 11
Paul Gerard Goggins (1953-2014), British Labour Party politician, Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office

The Goggins Motto +

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: Constans fidei
Motto Translation: Constant to honor.

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales. Institute of Historical Research, 1849, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Moore, A.W., Manx Names. London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1906. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html