Hartigan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:

Ireland

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

(224)

The spelling and overall form of Irish names tend to vary widely over time. The original Gaelic form of the name Hartigan is Ó hArtigain, which connotes a descendant of Art. 1

Early Origins of the Hartigan family

The surname Hartigan was first found in counties Clare and Limerick (Irish: Luimneach) located in Southwestern Ireland, in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from ancient times. 2

One of the first records of the family was of Cineth O'Hartigan (died 975), an Irish poet from the north of Ireland, perhaps best known for his "Dinnsenchus," a work which relates the legendary history of the duns, lakes, plains and mountains of Ireland. It gives a prose account of each place, followed by an account in verse. 3

Early History of the Hartigan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hartigan research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hartigan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hartigan Spelling Variations

Irish names recorded during the Middle Ages are characterized by many spelling variations. This preponderance of variations for common names can be explained by the fact that the scribes and church officials that kept records during that period individually decided how to capture one's name. These recorders primarily based their decisions on how the name was pronounced or what it meant. Research into the name Hartigan revealed many variations, including Hartigan, O'Hartigan, Hartagan, Hartegan, Hartigon, Hartagon and many more.

Early Notables of the Hartigan family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

Cineth O'Hartigan, Gaelic Poet

Hartigan Ranking

In the United States, the name Hartigan is the 11,697^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Hartigan migration to the United States +

Under the rule of England, land ownership in Ireland changed dramatically, and many native Irish families found themselves renting out land to farm from absentee owners. This was one of the prime reasons that immigration to North America began in the late 18th century: Irish farmers dreamed of owning their own parcel of land to work for themselves. At this point, the immigrants were at least of modest means for the passage across the Atlantic was often quite dear. In the 1840s the Great Potato Famine created an exodus of people of quite different means. These people were most often destitute: they either sold anything they had to gain a passage or they were sponsored by philanthropic societies. Many of these immigrants were sick from disease and starvation: as a result many did not survive the long transatlantic journey. Although those settlers that did survive were often despised and discriminated against by people already established in these nations, they were critical to rapid development of the powerful industrial nations of the United States and the country that would later become known as Canada. An examination of immigration and passenger lists shows many persons bearing the name of Hartigan or one of its variants:

Hartigan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Michael Hartigan, who arrived in Baltimore with his wife and five children in 1820
Thomas Hartigan, aged 22, who landed in New York in 1854 5
John Hartigan, who arrived in Mississippi in 1857 5
Patrick and Thomas Hartigan, who settled in Rencontre in 1871

Hartigan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hartigan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Denis Hartigan, who settled in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1804 6
James, Michael, Patrick and Thomas Hartigan, who arrived in Canada in 1839
Miss. Mary Hartigan, aged 1 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Nerio" departing 5th August 1847 from Limerick, Ireland; the ship arrived on 28th September 1847 but she died on board 7
Michael Hartigan, who settled in Placentia, Newfoundland in 1871 6

Hartigan migration to Australia +

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

Hartigan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Hartigan, aged 23, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "Constance" 8
Thomas Hartigan, aged 21, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "Constance" 8
Miss Johanna Hartigan, (b. 1826), aged 25, Irish country servant who was convicted in Limerick, Ireland for 15 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Blackfriar" on 24th January 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1907 9
Johanna Hartigan, aged 19, a house servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "David Malcolm" 10
Jeremiah Hartigan, aged 22, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Coromandel" 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hartigan 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:

Hartigan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. William Hartigan, (b. 1852), aged 27, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Stad Haarlem" arriving in Lyttleton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th April 1879 12

Contemporary Notables of the name Hartigan (post 1700) +

John Patrick Hartigan (1887-1968), American jurist, Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (1965-1968)
Pat Hartigan (1881-1951), American actor and director who appeared in 72 films
Chad Hartigan (b. 1982), American filmmaker and actor
Rear Admiral Charles Conway Hartigan (1882-1944), American Naval officer awarded the Medal of Honor for actions at the United States occupation of Veracruz
Grace Hartigan (1922-2008), American abstract expressionist painter
Henry Hartigan VC (1826-1886), Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross from Drumlea, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh
Bernie Hartigan (b. 1944), Irish hurler who played as a midfielder for the Limerick senior team
Pamela Hartigan (1948-2016), British Director of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
James Hartigan, English journalist and broadcaster who is best known as a poker commentator
William Anthony Neville "Bill" Hartigan (b. 1934), Australian politician, born in Sydney
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)