Show ContentsBeaham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Irish name Beaham comes from the Gaelic name Ó Beachain, possibly derived from the word "beach," which means "bee." It was also an Anglicized version of the Gaelic personal name Beathán, from "beatha," meaning "life." 1

Early Origins of the Beaham family

The surname Beaham was first found in County Kerry (Irish:Ciarraí) part of the former County Desmond (14th-17th centuries), located in Southwestern Ireland, in Munster province, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Beaham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beaham research. Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beaham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beaham Spelling Variations

The spelling of names in Ireland during the Middle Ages was rarely consistent. This inconsistency was due to the scribes and church officials' attempts to record orally defined names in writing. The common practice of recording names as they sounded resulted in spelling variations such as Behan, Beehan, Beaghan, O'Behan, Beehan, Beagan, O'Beaghan, O'Behen, Behen and many more.

Early Notables of the Beaham family

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

Migration of the Beaham family

Many destitute Irish families in the 18th and 19th centuries decided to leave their homeland, which had in many ways been scarred by English colonial rule. One of the most frequent destinations for these families was North America where it was possible for an Irish family to own their own parcel of land. Many of the early settlers did find land awaiting them in British North America, or even later in America, but for the majority of immigrants that arrived as a result of the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s the ownership of land was often a long way off. These Irish people were initially put to work on such industrial projects as the building of bridges, canals, and railroads, or they worked at manufacturing positions within factories. Whenever they arrived, the Irish made enormous contributions to the infant nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the earliest immigrants to bearer the name of Beaham were found through extensive research of immigration and passenger lists: James Behan who arrived in New York City in 1822; Henry Behan settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1854; Michael Beehan settled in Philadelphia in 1868.


Contemporary Notables of the name Beaham (post 1700) +

  • Virginia R. Beaham, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Arizona, 1972
  • Thomas G. Beaham, American Republican politician, Member of Arizona State House of Representatives, 1965-66; Member of Arizona State Senate, 1967


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)


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