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Moylan History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Moylan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Today's Irish surnames are underpinned by a multitude of rich histories. The name Moylan originally appeared in Gaelic as either Ó Meallain, Ó Maolain or Mac Maolain. The first surname is derived from the word meall, which means pleasant. The second and third surnames are derived from maol, which means bald.

Early Origins of the Moylan family

The surname Moylan was first found in the province of Connacht (Irish: Connachta, (land of the) descendants of Conn) where the Mullen, Mullin and Mullan spellings were popular. They were descended from the Kings of Connacht and are of the same basic stock as the O'Concannons. Branches were also found in Cork, Limerick, and Clare where the Mullane and Mullins spellings were the most frequent. Some were found north in Ulster and Tyrone and Derry. 1 This latter group is difficult to trace as the Scottish MacMullen or McMullen settled there during Cromwell's Plantation of Ulster.

Early History of the Moylan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moylan research. Another 53 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1660, 1720 and 1729 are included under the topic Early Moylan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moylan Spelling Variations

Many spelling variations of the surname Moylan can be found in the archives. One reason for these variations is that ancient scribes and church officials recorded names as they were pronounced, often resulting in a single person being recorded under several different spellings. The different spellings that were found include Mullan, Mullen, Mullin, Mullens, Mullins, O'Mullen, O'Mullan, O'Mullin, McMullen and many more.

Early Notables of the Moylan family

Notable among the family name at this time was Allan Mullen, M.D., (born c. 1660), one of the most eminent Irish anatomists; Dr. James Mullen, self educated doctor; Rev. John McMullen, Bishop...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Moylan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moylan Ranking

In the United States, the name Moylan is the 14,533^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Moylan migration to the United States +

A great mass of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century, seeking relief from various forms of social, religious, and economic discrimination. This Irish exodus was primarily to North America. If the migrants survived the long ocean journey, many unfortunately would find more discrimination in the colonies of British North America and the fledgling United States of America. These newly arrived Irish were, however, wanted as a cheap source of labor for the many large agricultural and industrial projects that were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the western world. Early immigration and passenger lists indicate many people bearing the Moylan name:

Moylan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Sarah Moylan, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1773 3

Moylan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Patrick Moylan, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1877 3

Moylan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Moylan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. Philip Moylan, aged 23 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Free Trader" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 4

Moylan migration to Australia +

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

Moylan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Thomas Moylan, aged 38, a labourer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Catherine" in 1851 5
Mary Moylan, aged 36, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Catherine" in 1851 5
Michael Moylan, aged 15, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Catherine" in 1851 5
William Moylan, aged 13, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Catherine" in 1851 5
Honor Moylan, aged 11, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Catherine" in 1851 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Moylan 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:

Moylan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Catherine Moylan, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Egmont" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th June 1858 6
Andrew Moylan, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Black Swan" in 1866
Ann Moylan, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Black Swan" in 1866
Miss Norah Moylan, (b. 1858), aged 18, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Dunedin" arriving in Invercargill, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 9th November 1876 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Moylan (post 1700) +

Stephen Moylan (1737-1811), Irish-born, American leader during the American Revolutionary War from Cork, Ireland
Edward Moylan (b. 1923), American tennis player, Gold Medal winner 1955 Pan American games
Martin J. Moylan (b. 1951), American Democratic Party politician, Electrician; Mayor of Des Plaines, Illinois, 2009-13; Member of Illinois State House of Representatives 55th District, 2013- 7
Kurt S. Moylan, American politician, Member of Guam senate, 1965-68; Secretary of Guam, 1969-70 7
Kaleo Moylan, American politician, Lieutenant Governor of Guam, 2003-06 7
John Moylan, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from South Carolina, 2004, 2008 (alternate) 7
James Moylan, American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Hudson County, 1891-92 7
Harold T. Moylan, American politician, Member of Nebraska unicameral legislature 6th District; Elected 1966 7
Cornelius A. Moylan (1898-1946), American Republican politician, Member of Connecticut State Senate 1st District, 1939-40; Mayor of Hartford, Connecticut, 1945-46 7
Charles E. Moylan, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Maryland, 1936 7
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Moylan family +

HMS Royal Oak

Thomas Moylan (1903-1939), British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 8

Citations +

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)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 48)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CATHERINE 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Catherine.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html