McLenaghan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
England

The Anglo-Norman Conquest of Ireland lead by Strongbow introduced the first non-Gaelic elements into Irish nomenclature. These Anglo-Normans brought some traditions to Ireland that were not readily found within Gaelic system of hereditary surnames. One of the best examples of this is the local surname. Local surnames, such as McLenaghan, were taken from the name of a place or a geographical feature where the person lived, held land, or was born. These surnames were very common in England, but were almost non-existent within Ireland previous to the conquest. Originally, these place names were prefixed by "de," which means "from" in French. This type of prefix was eventually either made a part of the surname, if the place name began with a vowel, or was eliminated entirely. The McLenaghan family originally lived in the settlement of Llanaghan, which is in the Welsh county of Brecon.

Early Origins of the McLenaghan family

The surname McLenaghan was first found in County Roscommon (Irish: Ros Comáin) located in central Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they were granted lands by Strongbow after his invasion of Ireland in 1172.

Early History of the McLenaghan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McLenaghan research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1249 is included under the topic Early McLenaghan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McLenaghan Spelling Variations

Church officials and medieval scribes often spelled early surnames as they sounded. This practice often resulted in many spelling variations of even a single name. Early versions of the name McLenaghan included: Lanigan, Lanahan, Lenaghan, Lanaghan, Linehan and many more.

Early Notables of the McLenaghan family

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

McLenaghan migration to the United States +

Ireland went through one of the most devastating periods in its history with the arrival of the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. Many also lost their lives from typhus, fever and dysentery. And poverty was the general rule as tenant farmers were often evicted because they could not pay the high rents. Emigration to North America gave hundreds of families a chance at a life where work, freedom, and land ownership were all possible. For those who made the long journey, it meant hope and survival. The Irish emigration to British North America and the United States opened up the gates of industry, commerce, education and the arts. Early immigration and passenger lists have shown many Irish people bearing the name McLenaghan:

McLenaghan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James McLenaghan, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States, in 1892
Mary McLenaghan, aged 19, who settled in America, in 1895
Sarah McLenaghan, aged 20, who settled in America, in 1896

McLenaghan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Isaiah McLenaghan, aged 38, who landed in America from Derry, in 1904
Annie McLenaghan, aged 26, who immigrated to the United States from Derry, Ireland, in 1907
Andrew McLenaghan, aged 18, who settled in America from Mosside, Ireland, in 1911
Robert McLenaghan, aged 41, who immigrated to the United States from Lemarady, Ireland, in 1913
James McLenaghan, aged 19, who landed in America from Newton, Hamilton, Ireland, in 1914
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McLenaghan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McLenaghan Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Nathaniel McLenaghan, aged 71, who immigrated to Perth, Ontario, in 1912

Contemporary Notables of the name McLenaghan (post 1700) +

R.G. McLenaghan, American mathematician, co-creator of Carminati–McLenaghan invariants
Nathaniel McLenaghan (b. 1845), Canadian merchant and political figure in Ontario

Historic Events for the McLenaghan family +

HMS Halsted

Mr. Charles Edward McLenaghan (b. 1920), British Royal Navy stoker 1st class from Gosport, Hampshire, England was stationed aboard the "HMS Halsted" when it was struck by torpedo by Jaguar and Mowe of the Cherbourg coast on 11th June 1944, he did not survive

The McLenaghan 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: Patriae infelici fidelis
Motto Translation: Faithful to an unhappy country.