Regen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of Regen

What does the name Regen mean?

Irish surnames are linked to the long Gaelic heritage of the Island nation. The original Gaelic form of the name Regen is Ó Riagain. In County Waterford, the Gaelic form Ó Reagain is used.

Early Origins of the Regen family

The surname Regen was first found in County Meath (Irish: An Mhí) anciently part of the kingdom of Brega, located in Eastern Ireland, in the province of Leinster, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

One of the oldest records of the family was Morice Regan (fl. 1171), an Irish interpreter. He is stated in an old French poem, of which the only text begins 'Par soen demeine latimer.' He is thought to have acted as an interpreter and herald, or envoy in the service of Diarmaid MacMurchada, King of Leinster. 1

Early History of the Regen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Regen research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the year 1172 is included under the topic Early Regen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Regen Spelling Variations

During the Middle Ages a name was spelt by scribes solely based on how it sounded, one's name could have been recorded many different ways during the life of its bearer. Numerous spelling variations were revealed in the search for the origin of the name Regen family name. Variations found include Reagan, Regan, O'Regan, O'Reagan and others.

Early Notables of the Regen family

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

Regen migration to the United States +

Many Irish families boarded ships bound for North America in the middle of 19th century to escape the conditions of poverty and racial discrimination at that time. Although these immigrants often arrived in a destitute state, they went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. An inquiry into many immigration and passenger lists has revealed many early immigrants to North America bearing the Regen family name:

Regen Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Regen, who landed in Virginia in 1725 2
Leonhard Regen, who arrived in New York, NY in 1782 2

Sources +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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)