| ![Show Contents]() Vogan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
When the Strongbownian's arrived in Ireland there was already a system for creating patronymic names in place. Therefore, the native population regarded many of the Anglo-Norman naming practices that these settlers were accustomed to as rather unusual. Despite their differences, the two different systems eventually merged together rather insidiously. The Strongbownians, when they arrived, displayed a preference for used nickname surnames. Two of the most prevalent forms were oath nicknames and imperative names. Oath names often carried blessings or were formed from habitual expressions. Imperative names, formed from a verb added to a noun or an adverb, metaphorically described the bearer's occupations. The nick name surname Vogan is derived from a nickname for a person who wore a habitual expression of discontent or unhappiness. The surname Vogan is derived from the Welsh word gwgan, which is a diminutive of gwg, which means frown or scowl. The Gaelic form of the surname is Ugán. Early Origins of the Vogan familyThe surname Vogan was first found in Pembrokeshire in southern Wales. However, it is believed that they were descended from Gwrgyn, the Lord of Bryn in the county of Denbigh in north Wales. Very early in the family's history, an important branch were granted lands by Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke, in his invasion of Ireland in 1172 and thus began the dual country origins of the name. The progenitor of the family is believed to be Gwgan Ap, Lord of Brecknock, one of whose descendants married the heiress of Wiston, who was a descendant of Wizo the Fleming, Lord of Daugleddy. One of the first on record was Sir John Wogan (d. 1321?), Chief Justice and Governor of Ireland. He was the son of "Sir Matthew Wogan (by Avicia, heiress of Walter Malephant), and great-grandson of Gwgan, son of Bleddyn ap Maenarch, Lord of Brecknock. Gwgan, whose name in course of time was softened into Wogan, married Gwenllian, the heiress of Wiston in Pembrokeshire, where his descendants were subsequently settled. " 1 His son, Walter de Wogan (died after 1328) became an Irish administrator, soldier and justice of the Justiciar's Court in 1318, He later became second justice of the Court in 1324. Richard Wogan (died after 1453) was an Irish judge and cleric who held the office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Early History of the Vogan familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Vogan research. Another 51 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1295, 1313, 1317, 1321, 1448, 1542, 1543, 1554, 1556, 1588, 1620, 1621, 1622, 1625, 1629, 1638, 1640, 1644, 1648, 1649, 1650, 1654, 1672, 1678, 1679, 1681, 1685, 1700, 1702, 1708, 1716 and 1758 are included under the topic Early Vogan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Vogan Spelling VariationsChurch officials and medieval scribes often simply spelled names as they sounded. As a result, a single person's name may have been recorded a dozen different ways during his lifetime. Spelling variations for the name Vogan include: Vogan, Wogan, Vogin, Vogen, Voggan, Woggan, Woggin, Woggen, Woggon, Voggon, Voygan, Voigan, Woigan, Woiggan, Wogand, Vogand, Vogant, Wogant, Woggant and many more. Early Notables of the Vogan familyProminent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Sir Henry Wogan, steward of the earldom of Pembroke in 1448; Sir John Wogan, a gentleman usher of the king's chamber and was granted certain offices in Pembrokeshire and Cardiganshire in consideration of his services in England and abroad, Sheriff of Cardiganshire in 1542 and 1556, and of Pembrokeshire in 1543 and 1554; Sir John Wogan (1588-1644) a Welsh politician, Member of Parliament for Pembrokeshire (1621-1622), (1625-1629) and (1640-1644); and his son, Thomas Wogan (born circa 1620), a Welsh Member of Parliament and one of the regicides...
Another 97 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Vogan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Vogan RankingIn the United States, the name Vogan is the 12,118th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2  Migration of the Vogan family to Ireland
Some of the Vogan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 157 words (11 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Vogan 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 Vogan:
Vogan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- John Vogan, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1817 3
- Isaac Vogan, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States from Newcastle, in 1892
Vogan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Isaac Vogan, aged 33, who settled in America from Belfast, in 1904
- Samuel John Vogan, aged 20, who immigrated to America from Kircubbin, Ireland, in 1907
- Chas. M. Edwin Vogan, who immigrated to the United States from England, in 1919
- John Vogan, aged 30, who landed in America, in 1923
| Vogan migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Vogan Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century- Thomas Vogan, aged 50, who immigrated to Toronto, Canada, in 1908
| Vogan 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: Vogan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Mr. James Vogan, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lady Jocelyn" arriving in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand on 2nd January 1881, en-route to Auckland, New Zealand 4
- Mrs. Vogan, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lady Jocelyn" arriving in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand on 2nd January 1881, en-route to Auckland, New Zealand 4
| Contemporary Notables of the name Vogan (post 1700) | + |
- David Alexander Vogan, American mathematician at M.I.T
- Emmett Vogan (1893-1969), American actor with almost 500 film appearances (1934 to 1954)
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
- "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)
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
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Vogan migration to the United States 
Vogan migration to Canada 
Vogan migration to New Zealand 
Wales
Ireland
