Kavanagh History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Ireland

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Irish names tend to vary widely in their spelling and overall form. The original Gaelic form of the name Kavanagh is Caomhanach, an adjective denoting association with St. Caomhan. The first Kavanagh, Donal, the son of Dermot MacMurrough, was fostered by a successor of this saint.

Early Origins of the Kavanagh family

The surname Kavanagh was first found in County Carlow (Irish: Cheatharlach) a small landlocked area located in the province of Leinster in the South East of Ireland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. The Kavanaghs (Cavanaghs) were descended from the MacMorough stem and were Lords of Leinster. Donoch McMorough was the King of Leinster, son of Dermod and it was from Donoch from which the Cavanaghs sprang. They were descended directly from the Heremon Line of Irish Kings. Donell, son of Dermot MacMurrough acquired the name Caomhanach, or Cavanagh. His sister Eva married Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke, the leader of the English invasion of Ireland. 1

Early History of the Kavanagh family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kavanagh research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1538, 1540, 1541, 1543, 1554, 1667, 1739 and 1889 are included under the topic Early Kavanagh History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kavanagh 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. The following variations for the name Kavanagh were encountered in the archives: Cavanagh, Kavanagh, Kavanah, Cavanaugh, Keevan, Cavanaw, Kavanaw, Cavenaugh, Cavanough, Cavaneagh, Cavana, Cavena, Cavinaugh, Kavina, Kavena, Kavanaugh, Cavanach, Kavanach, Cabenagh, O'Cavanagh, O'Kavanagh, Keaveney, Geaveney, M'Cavanna and many more.

Early Notables of the Kavanagh family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was

Cahir Mac Art Kavanagh, Lord of St. Molyns, Baron of Ballyann (d. 1554), the eldest son of Art Kavanagh of St. Molyns (Teach Molyns), and Chief of his Sept. He took part in the rebellion of the Leinst...

Kavanagh World Ranking

In the United States, the name Kavanagh is the 7,087^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 2 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Kavanagh is ranked the 164^th most popular surname with an estimated 239 people with that name. 3 And in Australia, the name Kavanagh is the 878^th popular surname with an estimated 4,502 people with that name. 4 The United Kingdom ranks Kavanagh as 907^th with 7,567 people. 5

Kavanagh migration to the United States +

In the 19th century, thousands of Irish left their English-occupied homeland for North America. Like most new world settlers, the Irish initially settled on the eastern shores of the continent but began to move westward with the promise of owning land. The height of this Irish migration came during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. With apparently nothing to lose, Irish people left on ships bound for North America and Australia. Unfortunately a great many of these passengers lost their lives - the only thing many had left - to disease, starvation, and accidents during the long and dangerous journey. Those who did safely arrive in "the land of opportunities" were often used for the hard labor of building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. The Irish were critical to the quick development of the infrastructure of the United States and Canada. Passenger and immigration lists indicate that members of the Kavanagh family came to North America quite early:

Kavanagh Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

J. Kavanagh, who settled in Baltimore Maryland in 1822
James, John, Lawrence, Michael, Patrick, Peter, Thomas Kavanagh, all, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1811 and 1843
James Kavanagh who arrived in New York State in 1852

Kavanagh migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kavanagh Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Patrick Kavanagh, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1806

Kavanagh migration to Australia +

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

Kavanagh Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Michael Kavanagh, Irish convict who was convicted in Kerry, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
Mr. Patrick Kavanagh, Irish convict who was convicted in Dundalk, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
Miss Mary Kavanagh, (b. 1783), aged 30, Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Catherine" on 8th December 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7
Mr.James Kavanagh, (Cavanagh), (b. 1790), aged 29, Irish farm labourer who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Bencoolen" on 24th April 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia before being transferred to Tasmania via the "Admiral Cockburn" 8
Mr. Lawrence Kavanagh, (b. 1812), aged 16, Irish stone mason who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for life for burglary, transported aboard the "Fergusson" on 16th November 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he was executed in 1846 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Kavanagh 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:

Kavanagh Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Joseph Kavanagh, British settler travelling from Liverpool aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 19th October 1859 10
Edward Kavanagh, aged 21, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "British Queen" in 1883 11
Miss Ellen Kavanagh, (b. 1864), aged 20, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Florida" arriving in Invercargill, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 10th March 1884 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Kavanagh (post 1700) +

Edward Kavanagh (1795-1844), American statesman and congressman
Thomas M. Kavanagh (1909-1975), American jurist from Michigan; justice of the Michigan Supreme Court 1958–75
Marty Kavanagh (1891-1960), American professional baseball player
Leo Kavanagh (1894-1950), American professional baseball player
Herminie Templeton Kavanagh (1861-1933), Irish-American short-story writer
Giles Kavanagh, American politician, U.S. Collector of Internal Revenue for Michigan, 1941-51 12
Francis B. Kavanagh, American politician, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, 1941-42 12
Edward A. Kavanagh, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Michigan State Senate 16th District, 1966 12
Edward Kavanagh (1795-1844), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Maine State House of Representatives, 1826-28; Member of Maine State Senate, 1842; Governor of Maine, 1843-44 12
Dudley J. Kavanagh (b. 1879), American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1932; probate judge in Michigan, 1933-36 12
... (Another 31 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)