| ![Show Contents]() Bogan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The birthplace of the surname Bogan is Cornwall, a rugged peninsula in southwestern England that is noted for its strong Gaelic traditions. Though surnames became common during medieval times, English people were formerly known only by a single name. The way in which hereditary surnames were adopted in medieval England is fascinating. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Despite the fact that occupational surnames are rare among the Cornish People, they nevertheless sometimes adopted surnames derived from the type of work they did. The surname Bogan was an occupational name for a maker of bows. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English word buga or boga, meaning to bend. Early Origins of the Bogan familyThe surname Bogan was first found in Cornwall, in Treleage. "There can be very little doubt that the manor of Lan-Keverne or St. Kyeran, is the same that is mentioned in Doomsday Survey, under the name of Lan-Achebran, which at that time belonged to a college of canons, called in that Survey the canons of St. Achebran. This property was afterwards in the family of Bogan, from whom it passed by marriage to the late Thomas Vyvyan, Esq. of Trewan." 1 Again in Cornwall, "the church of St. Keverne is ornamented with a lofty steeple, which, standing on rising ground, is a conspicuous object at a great distance. Within the church there are memorials of the several families of Bogan, Sandys, and Squier." 1 Early History of the Bogan familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bogan research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1625 and 1659 are included under the topic Early Bogan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bogan Spelling VariationsCornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Bogan, Boggan and others. Early Notables of the Bogan familyNotable amongst the family at this time was - Charles Bogan of Waterford
Bogan RankingIn the United States, the name Bogan is the 3,518th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 2  Migration of the Bogan family to Ireland
Some of the Bogan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Bogan migration to the United States | + |
Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Bogan were among those contributors:
Bogan Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Cornelius Bogan, who landed in Maryland in 1662 3
Bogan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- John Bogan, who arrived in America in 1806 3
- John and Walter Bogan both of whom arrived in America in 1806
- Ann Bogan who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1849
- Bernard, John, Michael, Patrick, Walter, and William Bogan, all, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1840 and 1860
| Bogan migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Bogan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century- Luke Bogan, aged 26, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Protector" in 1834
- Susan Bogan, aged 18, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Protector" in 1834
| Bogan migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Bogan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Mr. John Bogan, (b. 1823), aged 18, Irish labourer from County Fermanagh, Ireland departing on 8th July 1841 from Greenock, Scotland aboard the ship "New York Packet" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 23rd October 1841 4
- Mrs. Mary Bogan, (b. 1819), aged 22, Irish farm labourer from County Fermanagh, Ireland departing on 8th July 1841 from Greenock, Scotland aboard the ship "New York Packet" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 23rd October 1841 5
| Contemporary Notables of the name Bogan (post 1700) | + |
- Lucille Bogan (1897-1948), American, early Blues singer, who sang under the pseudonym Bessie Jackson
- Vice Admiral Gerald Francis Bogan (1894-1973), American Navy Officer inducted into the Naval Aviation Hall of Honor, 1992
- Louise Bogan (1897-1970), American poet/critic appointed the fourth Poet Laureate to the Library of Congress in 1945
- Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. 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)
- Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 18th November 2020). Retrieved from http://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5316/4_4782/New%20York%20Packet_23%20Oct%201841/4_478200095.jpg&No=14
- Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 18th November 2020). Retrieved from http://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5316/4_4782/New%20York%20Packet_23%20Oct%201841/4_478200095.jpg&No=15
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Bogan migration to the United States 
Bogan migration to Canada 
Bogan migration to Australia 
England
Germany
Ireland
