Meghan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Irish families left their homeland in astonishing numbers during the 19th century in search of a better life. Although individual reasons vary, most of these Irish families suffered from extreme poverty, lack of work opportunities, and exorbitant rents in their homeland. Many decided to travel to Australia or North America in the hopes of finding greater opportunities and land. The Irish immigrants that came to North America initially settled on the East Coast, often in major centers such as Boston or New York. But like the many other cultures to settle in North America, the Irish traveled to almost any region they felt held greater promise; as a result, many Irish with gold fever moved all the way out to the Pacific coast. Others before that time left for land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula, or the Maritimes as United Empire Loyalists, for many Irish did choose to side with the English during the American War of Independence. The earliest wave of Irish migration, however, occurred during the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists has revealed many people bearing the Meghan name:

Meghan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• John Meghan, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1861 3

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Meghan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• John Meghan a painter, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Zephyr" in 1833

• Rachel Meghan Markle (b. 1981), birth name of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, American fashion model, spokesmodel, and actress, wife of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
• Miss Meghan Elizabeth Trainor (b. 1993), American Grammy and Billboard Award winner, singer and songwriter born in Nantucket, Massachusetts, best known for her debut single "All About That Bass" which sold 11 million copies worldwide, and her third major-label studio album entitled Treat Myself
• Meghan McElheny (b. 1978), American director and writer, known for Freedom Writers (2007), Tuftsablanca (1999) and Roger Dodger (2002)
• Meghan Heffern (b. 1983), Canadian actress from Edmonton, Alberta, known for her work on Chloe (2009), The Fog (2005) and American Pie Presents: Beta House (2007)
• Meghan Lisenby (b. 1992), née Streight, an American retired soccer player who most recently played for FC Kansas City in 2015
• Meghan Schnur (b. 1985), American soccer midfielder
• Meghan Marguerite McCain (b. 1984), American columnist and author, daughter of U.S. Senator John McCain
• Meghan O'Rourke (b. 1976), American poet and critic
• Meghan Collison (b. 1988), Canadian fashion model from Edmonton, Alberta
• Meghan Ory (b. 1982), Canadian television and film actress