Canans History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Etymology of Canans

While the Anglicized versions of Irish names are often familiar to people, their Irish Gaelic heritage is often unknown. The original Gaelic form of the name Canans is Ó Canain, from the word "cano," which means "wolf cub." 1

Early Origins of the Canans family

Early History of the Canans family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Canans research. Another 156 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1659 and 1687 are included under the topic Early Canans History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Canans Spelling Variations

During the Middle Ages, a standardized literary language known by the general population of Ireland was a thing of fiction. When a person's name was recorded by one of the few literate scribes, it was up that particular scribe to decide how to spell an individual's name. So a person could have several spelling variations of his name recorded during a single lifetime. Research into the name Canans revealed many variations, including Cannon, O'Cannon, MacCannon, Cannan, Cannen, Cannin, MacCannan, McCannon, McCannan and many more.

Early Notables of the Canans family

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

Migration of the Canans family

Thousands of Irish left in their homeland in the 18th and 19th centuries to escape the religious and political discrimination they experienced primarily at the hands of the English, and in the search of a plot of land to call their own. These immigrants arrived at the eastern shores of North America, early on settling and breaking the land, and, later, building the bridges, canals, and railroads essential to the emerging nations of United States and Canada. Many others would toil for low wages in the dangerous factories of the day. Although there had been a steady migration of Irish to North America over these years, the greatest influx of Irish immigrants came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name Canans or a variant listed above: Edward and Ann Cannon who settled in Virginia in 1646; John Cannon settled in Barbados in 1660; another John settled in Jamaica in 1716; Alexander, Andrew, Anthony, Barney, Bernard, Bridget, Charles, Cornelius, Daniel Dennis, Edward, Ennis, George, Hugh, James, John, Mannis, Michael, Neal, Owen, Patrick, Philip, Thomas and William Cannon all settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1772 and 1866.