Callighan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of Callighan

What does the name Callighan mean?

Before Irish names were translated into English, Callighan had a Gaelic form of Ó Ceallachain, possibly from "ceallach", which means "strife". The family is descended from Ceallachan (Callaghan), the 10th century King of Munster from whom their surname is derived, and as such, the name Callighan is a patronymic name. 1

Early Origins of the Callighan family

The surname Callighan was first found in Munster. The earliest mention of the name Callighan placed them in the barony of Kinlea, in County Cork, yet the family lost most of their original lands in the barony of Kinelea during the Anglo-Norman Conquest under Strongbow. They relocated to an area near Mallow, in the north of the county, and remained there until forced off their lands once again during the Cromwellian Invasion of the 17th century.

The head family migrated to the east of County Clare and flourished, giving their name to the village of Callaghan's Mills. The resumption of the often-discarded prefix "O" has been widespread during the late twentieth century, but in the early twentieth century, Callaghans greatly outnumbered O'Callaghans, but such is no longer the case. The O'Callaghans are one of the few Irish families to still have a chief, certified by the Genealogical Office. 2

Early History of the Callighan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Callighan research. Another 202 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1605, 1640, 1654, 1738, 1797, 1807, 1839, 1883 and 1909 are included under the topic Early Callighan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Callighan 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 Callighan revealed many variations, including Callaghan, Callahan, O'Callaghan, O'Callahan, Calahan, Cellaghan, Kalahan, Kallaghan, Kallahan, O'Kallaghan, Kellaghan, Kelleghan, Kellahan, Kelahan, Ceilahan, Ceilaghan, Callachan, Calachan, Callagan, Calagan, Kelagan, Callighan and many more.

Early Notables of the Callighan family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Callighan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Callighan 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 Callighan or one of its variants:

Callighan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Michael Callighan, who arrived in New York in 1845 3
Thomas Callighan, aged 20, who landed in New York in 1854 3
Geo Callighan, aged 55, who landed in New York in 1854 3
Eliza O. Callighan, aged 32, who landed in America from Dublin, in 1892
Cecilia Callighan, aged 26, who settled in America from Londonderry, in 1894
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Callighan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Michael Callighan, aged 21, who landed in America from Ballyderrheen, in 1902
John Callighan, aged 22, who settled in America from Seafin Newry, Ireland, in 1906
Hugh Callighan, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States, in 1920
Matthew Callighan, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States from Dingle, Ireland, in 1922
William Callighan, aged 24, who landed in America, in 1924

Callighan migration to Canada +

Callighan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Betsy Callighan, aged 20, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Thomas Hanford" from Cork, Ireland

Callighan migration to Australia +

Callighan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Margaret Callighan, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 16th November 1841, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4

Historic Events for the Callighan family +

HMS Queen Charlotte

Mr. John Callighan, British seaman who was aboard the ship "HMS Queen Charlotte" off the coast of Capraia, Italy when she caught fire on the 17th March 1800; listed as survived

Sources +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia