Callanan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:

Ireland

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

(226)

The name Callanan comes from the Irish Gaelic name Ó Cathalain. The Gaelic versions of today's Irish names demonstrate a link to a proud, ancient past. The name is possibly derived from Cathalan, King of Farney slain in 1028, whose name means Little Charles. Cathalan was in turn descended from Coleman Mor, King of Meath and (the 133rd Monarch of Ireland). 1

Early Origins of the Callanan family

The surname Callanan was first found in County Roscommon (Irish: Ros Comáin) located in central Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Caillin (fl. 560), was an Irish saint, "son of Niata, descended from Rudraighe, whose grandson, Fergus Mac Roigh, flourished at the beginning of the Christian era. His mother was Deighe, granddaughter of Dubhthach, chief poet of King Laogaire in the time of St. Patrick. The authority for the history of St. Caillin is the ancient ‘Book of Fenagh,’ a series of poetical rhapsodies, written about 1400, a copy of which with a connecting narrative in prose was made in 1516. we may gather the following facts of St. Caillin's history from this curious repertory of ancient traditions: ‘The descendants of Medbh and Fergus, viz. the children of Conmac, Ciar, and Corc, grew and multiplied throughout Ireland. The children of Conmac especially were in Connaught.’ Those were the Conmaicne of Dunmor, kinsmen of Caillin's. Resolved to remedy the congestion of the population by killing each other, the Conmaicne would no doubt have carried out their plan but for the interference of St. Caillin. By the advice of an angel they sent messengers to him at Rome, whither he had gone for his education." 2

Early History of the Callanan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Callanan research. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1027 and 1280 are included under the topic Early Callanan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Callanan Spelling Variations

The Middle Ages saw a great number of spelling variations for surnames common to the Irish landscape. One reason for these variations is the fact that surnames were not rigidly fixed by this period because the general population had to rely on local official's understanding of how their name should be spelt, hence spellings in records often changed through a person's lifetime. The following variations for the name Callanan were encountered in the archives: Callan, Callanan, Caillan, Calan, Calanan, Callen, Callin, Callon, Callinan, Callinon and many more.

Early Notables of the Callanan family

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

Callanan Ranking

In the United States, the name Callanan is the 15,561^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Callanan migration to the United States +

Ireland became inhospitable for many native Irish families in the 19th centuries. Poverty, lack of opportunities, high rents, and discrimination forced thousands to leave the island for North America. The largest exodus of Irish settlers occurred with the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. For these immigrants the journey to British North America and the United States was long and dangerous and many did not live to see the shores of those new lands. Those who did make it were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest and most powerful nations of the world. These Irish immigrants were not only important for peopling the new settlements and cities, they also provided the manpower needed for the many industrial and agricultural projects so essential to these growing nations. Immigration and passenger lists have documented the arrival of various people bearing the name Callanan to North America:

Callanan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Patrick Callanan, aged 30, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Adriatic" from Southampton, England 4
John Callanan, aged 27, originally from Kilkenny, Ireland, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Lapland" from Southampton, England 4
John Hewitt Callanan, aged 40, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Orduna" from Liverpool, England 4
Harold V. Callanan, aged 26, who arrived in New York, N.Y. in 1919 aboard the ship "America" from Genoa, Italy 4
Thomas Callanan, aged 14, originally from Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, Ireland, who arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Baltic" from Queenstown, Ireland 4

Callanan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Callanan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

William Callanan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1839

Callanan migration to Australia +

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

Callanan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Edward Callanan, (b. 1776), aged 50, Irish farm labourer who was convicted in Tipperary, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Boyne" on 28th October 1826, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Mr. Timothy Callanan, (b. 1807), aged 20, Irish labourer who was convicted in Limerick, Ireland for 7 years for robbery, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 19th July 1827, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
Ann Callanan, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on December 14, 1835, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 7
Mr. Denis Callanan, (b. 1826), aged 17, Irish labourer who was convicted in Cork, Ireland for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Constant" on 9th May 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8

Callanan 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:

Callanan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Denis Callanan, aged 23, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rakaia" in 1878

Contemporary Notables of the name Callanan (post 1700) +

Liam Callanan, American author and professor of English at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Jeremiah Joseph Callanan (1795-1829), Irish poet who was brought up in the country, where he acquired the knowledge of the Irish language which qualified him for his subsequent vocation as national bard and collector of popular traditions 9
Séamus Callanan (b. 1988), Irish hurler
Peter Callanan (1935-2009), Irish Fianna Fáil politician
Johnny Callanan (1910-1982), Irish Fianna Fáil politician from County Galway
John Joe Callanan (1894-1970), Irish hurler for the Tipperary and Dublin senior teams
Joe Callanan (b. 1949), Irish former Irish Fianna Fáil politician, member of Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Galway East (2002–2007)
Ian Callanan (b. 1971), Irish composer of Catholic liturgical music
Fionnbar Callanan, Irish sports photographer and journalist
Colm Callanan (b. 1982), Irish hurler for Kinvara and has been a member of the Galway senior inter-county team since 2007
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)