Houlahen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Early Origins of the Houlahen family

Early History of the Houlahen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Houlahen research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Houlahen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Houlahen Spelling Variations

Names from the Middle Ages demonstrate many spelling variations. This is because the recording scribe or church official often decided as to how a person's name was spelt and in what language. Research into the name Houlahen revealed many variations, including Holohan, O'Holohan, Mulholland, Highland, Hoolohan, Houlihan, Hooligan, Whelton, Oulihan, Oulahen, Whoolahan and many more.

Early Notables of the Houlahen family

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

Migration of the Houlahen family

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the Houlahen family relocated to North American shores quite early: Daniel, David, John, Michael, Patrick and Owen Hollahan and David and Michael Mulholand, who all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.