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Flanigan History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Flanigan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

The Irish name Flanigan was originally written in a Gaelic form as "O Flannagain," from the word "flann," which means "red" or "ruddy." Collectively the name means "descendants of the red-complexioned man." 1

Early Origins of the Flanigan family

The surname Flanigan was first found in County Roscommon, where they claim descent from the O'Connors as shown by the similarities of the Coat of Arms. Today the surname is more frequently found in County Roscommon, Mayo, Galway and Clare, no doubt branches from their ancestral roots. 2

Sources agree that Roscommon and the aforementioned counties on the western seaboard is where the lion's share of the family originate. However, as there are at least five distinct branches of the family: Ely O'Carroll; Connaught; Fermanagh; Orgiall; and Uactar Tire ("Upperthird", in the northwest of the county of Waterford.) "The O'Flanagans of the Upperthird were dispossessed shortly after the English [Strongbow] invasion by the family of Le Poer (now 'Power'), who still possess a large portion of that territory." 1

The O'Flanagan, of Ely O'Carroll branch claim descent from O'Flannagain Ele, a direct descendant on the O'Carroll Ely pedigree. O'Flanagan, Chiefs of Kinelargy in Ely O'Carroll similarly claim descent through the O'Carroll Ely pedigree. Note: Kinelargy is an ancient territory the corresponds with the present barony of Balllybrit, in the King's County. Both of these branches claim descent through the Heber line of Irish kings. 1

The O'Flanagans of Fermanagh claim descent through Niall of the Nine Hostages, the 126th Monarch of Ireland and the O'Flanagans of Orgiall similarly claim a similar descent. These latter two branches claim descent through the Heremon line of ancient Kings of Ireland. 1

Early History of the Flanigan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Flanigan research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1172 and 1308 are included under the topic Early Flanigan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Flanigan Spelling Variations

Those scribes in Ireland during the Middle Ages recorded names as they sounded. Consequently, in this era many people were recorded under different spellings each time their name was written down. Research on the Flanigan family name revealed numerous spelling variations, including Flanagan, Flanaghan, Flanagen, Flannagan, Flannagen, Flanigan, Flannigan, Flanigen, Flannigen, Flanagin, Flannagin and many more.

Early Notables of the Flanigan family

Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Flanigan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Flanigan Ranking

In the United States, the name Flanigan is the 4,670^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 3

Flanigan migration to the United States +

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 Flanigan family in North America:

Flanigan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Charles Flanigan, aged 34, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 4
Denis Flanigan, aged 28, who landed in New York, NY in 1804 4
John Flanigan, aged 6, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 4
Mary Flanigan, aged 28, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 4
John Flanigan, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Flanigan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Flanigan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

John Flanigan, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Dorcas Savage" from Belfast, Ireland
Alice Flanigan, aged 4, who arrived in Quebec in 1834
Eliza Flanigan, aged 26, who arrived in Quebec in 1834
James Flanigan, aged 28, who landed in Quebec in 1834
John Flanigan, aged 1, who landed in Quebec in 1834
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Flanigan migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Flanigan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Barny Flanigan, (Barney, Barnard, Flannagan), (b. 1793), aged 27, Irish servant who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for felony, transported aboard the "Dorothy" on 5th May 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Catherine Flanigan, aged 25, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Wanderer" in 1851 6
John Flanigan, aged 20, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Osceola" 7
Catherine Flanigan, aged 25, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Wanderer" 6
Michael Flanigan, aged 21, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Amazon"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Flanigan 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:

Flanigan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. John Flanigan, 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 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Flanigan (post 1700) +

Thomas Anthony "Tom" Flanigan (1934-2022), American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher from Cincinnati, Ohio who appeared in three games (1954-1958)
Peter Flanigan (1923-2013), American investment banker, political campaign manager and presidential adviser
Joseph T. Flanigan (1894-1970), American politician, member of the Michigan House of Representatives (1951 to 1952)
Raymond Arthur Flanigan (1923-1993), American Major League Baseball pitcher
Walter H. Flanigan (1892-1972), American professional football player, one of the co-founders of the National Football League
Tom Flanigan, American actor, writer and comedian
Robert L. "Bob" Flanigan (1926-2011), American tenor vocalist and founding member of The Four Freshmen
Timothy Elliott Flanigan (b. 1953), American lawyer and politician, nominated by President George W. Bush as Deputy Attorney General
Lauren Flanigan (b. 1959), American operatic soprano
James Michael Flanigan Jr. (b. 1971), American former NFL football defensive tackle
... (Another 16 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Flanigan 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: Certavi et vici
Motto Translation: I have fought and conquered.

Citations +

O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dorothy
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) WANDERER 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Wanderer.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) OSCEOLA / ASCEOLA 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Osceola-Asceola.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html