Show ContentsRattigan Surname History

Irish names tend to vary widely in their spelling and overall form. The original Gaelic form of the name Rattigan is O Reachtagain, which is derived from the word "reacht," which means "decree."

Early Origins of the Rattigan family

The surname Rattigan was first found in Roscommon (Irish: Ros Comáin) located in central Ireland in the province of Connacht, where their recorded history precedes the 12th century. They are said to be descended from Iomchadh, Prince of Tara, second son of King Colla da Chrioch, down to O'Kelly, Prince of Hy-Maine in Roscommon.

Early History of the Rattigan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rattigan research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rattigan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rattigan Spelling Variations

The Middle Ages saw a great number of spelling variations for surnames common to the Irish landscape. One reason for these variations is the fact that surnames were not rigidly fixed by this period. The following variations for the name Rattigan were encountered in the archives: Ratigan, Rattigan, Rhatigan, Ractigan, Rattican, Rhattigan, O'Rattigan, O'Ratigan, McRattigan, McRatigan, McRhatagan, Rattigen, Ratigen, Ratrigan, Rattrigan, Rattigin, Ratigin, Rattighan and many more.

Early Notables of the Rattigan family

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


United States Rattigan migration to the United States +

In the 19th century, thousands of Irish left their English-occupied homeland for North America. Like most new world settlers, the Irish initially settled on the eastern shores of the continent but began to move westward with the promise of owning land. The height of this Irish migration came during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. With apparently nothing to lose, Irish people left on ships bound for North America and Australia. Unfortunately a great many of these passengers lost their lives - the only thing many had left - to disease, starvation, and accidents during the long and dangerous journey. Those who did safely arrive in "the land of opportunities" were often used for the hard labor of building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. The Irish were critical to the quick development of the infrastructure of the United States and Canada. Passenger and immigration lists indicate that members of the Rattigan family came to North America quite early:

Rattigan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Daniel, Mary, Patt and Peter Rattigan all of whom were recorded as having, who arrived in New York, New York in 1850
  • Dan Rattigan, aged 45, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 [1]
  • Patt Rattigan, aged 20, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 [1]
  • Peter Rattigan, aged 18, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 [1]

Canada Rattigan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rattigan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mary Rattigan who was listed as having arrived in Nova Scotia in 1825
  • Mary Rattigan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1825

New Zealand Rattigan migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Rattigan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Patrick Rattigan, British settler as part of the 8th Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 [2]
  • Mrs. Elizabeth Rattigan, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 [2]

Contemporary Notables of the name Rattigan (post 1700) +

  • Sir William Henry Rattigan (1842-1904), British Liberal Unionist MP
  • Leon Rattigan (b. 1987), British freestyle wrestler
  • Sir Terence Mervyn Rattigan CBE (1911-1977), English playwright, one of England's most popular 20th century dramatists


  1. 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)
  2. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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