Gilgan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Many Irish names are merely English translations of Gaelic names. The name Gilgan was a translation of the Gaelic name Mac Giollagain, which is derived from the word "giolla," which means "lad."

Early Origins of the Gilgan family

The surname Gilgan was first found in County Londonderry (Irish: Doire), a Northern Irish county also known as Derry, in the province of Ulster, where they held a family seat at a place called Magilligans Strand.

Early History of the Gilgan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gilgan research. Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gilgan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gilgan Spelling Variations

The recording of names in Ireland in the Middle Ages was an inconsistent endeavor at best due to competing dialects and languages, and the general illiteracy of the population. Research into the name Gilgan revealed many spelling variations, including Gilligan, Gilegan, Gillegan, Giligan and others.

Early Notables of the Gilgan family

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

Gilgan migration to the United States +

During the middle of the 19th century, Irish families often experienced extreme poverty and racial discrimination in their own homeland under English rule. Record numbers died of disease and starvation, and many others, deciding against such a fate, boarded ships bound for North America. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Unfortunately, many of those Irish that arrived in Canada or the United States still experienced economic and racial discrimination. Although often maligned, these Irish people were essential to the rapid development of these countries because they provided the cheap labor required for the many canals, roads, railways, and other projects required for strong national infrastructures. Eventually the Irish went on to make contributions in the less backbreaking and more intellectual arenas of commerce, education, and the arts. Research early immigration and passenger lists revealed many early immigrants bearing the name Gilgan:

Gilgan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Daniel Gilgan, aged 30, who landed in New York in 1812 1
Mathew Gilgan, aged 47, who arrived in New York in 1812 1

Gilgan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gilgan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Bryan Gilgan, who landed in Canada in 1812
Henry Gilgan, who arrived in Canada in 1812
Henry Gilgan, aged 22, who landed in Canada in 1812
James Gilgan, aged 18, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Britannia" from Sligo, Ireland
Ann Gilgan, aged 15, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Britannia" from Sligo, Ireland
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

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)