Beagan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of Beagan

What does the name Beagan mean?

The Irish name Beagan comes from the Gaelic name Ó Beachain, possibly derived from the word "beach," which means "bee." It was also an Anglicized version of the Gaelic personal name Beathán, from "beatha," meaning "life." 1

Early Origins of the Beagan family

The surname Beagan was first found in County Kerry (Irish:Ciarraí) part of the former County Desmond (14th-17th centuries), located in Southwestern Ireland, in Munster province, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Beagan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beagan research. Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beagan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beagan Spelling Variations

The recording of names in Ireland in the Middle Ages was an inconsistent endeavor at best. The many regional dialects and the predominate illiteracy would have made common surnames appear unrelated to the scribes of the period. Research into the name Beagan revealed spelling variations, including Behan, Beehan, Beaghan, O'Behan, Beehan, Beagan, O'Beaghan, O'Behen, Behen and many more.

Early Notables of the Beagan family

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

Beagan migration to the United States +

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish migrating out of their homeland in a great measure due to the oppressive imperial policies of the English government and landowners. Many of these Irish families sailed to North America aboard overcrowded passenger ships. By far, the largest influx of Irish immigrants to North America occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. These particular immigrants were instrumental in creation of the United States and Canada as major industrial nations because the many essential elements such as the roadways, canals, bridges, and railways required an enormous quantity of cheap labor, which these poor immigrants provided. Later generations of Irish in these countries also went on to make valuable contributions in such fields as the arts, commerce, politics, and education. Extensive research into immigration and passenger lists has revealed many early immigrants bearing the name Beagan:

Beagan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Patrick Beagan, who settled in Philadelphia in 1846

Sources +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)