Show ContentsCarrigan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Today's Irish surnames are underpinned by a multitude of rich histories. The name Carrigan originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Corragain. 1

Early Origins of the Carrigan family

The surname Carrigan was first found in Fermanagh (Irish: Fear Manach) in the southwestern part of Northern Ireland, Province of Ulster, in Ulster, where they are known to have been located since the 9th century. This family was related to the Maguires, and both families claim descent from the three Collas, who were Irish kings during the 4th century. Those of the Carrigan family is now scattered widely across Ireland, with the exception of Munster, where they are uncommon. The dispersion of the family had already taken place by the 16th century, when bearers of the name were recorded in the counties of Meath, Monaghan, Offaly and Roscommon. Petty's census of 1659, lists Corrigan and O'Corrigan as among the most common names in the counties of Fermanagh, Longford and Offaly.

Early History of the Carrigan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carrigan research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1802, 1839, 1866, 1880 and 1902 are included under the topic Early Carrigan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carrigan Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Carrigan, Caragan, Caraghen, Carigan, Carignan, Carragan, O'Carrigan, Corrigan, Corigan, O'Corrigan, Corigon, Corrigon, Corrigen, Korrigan, Korigan, Currigan, Courigan, Currigen, Kurrigan, Corregan, Coregan, Corigen, Korrigen, Korigen, Kurigan and many more.

Early Notables of the Carrigan family

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Carrigan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carrigan Ranking

In the United States, the name Carrigan is the 5,205th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 2


United States Carrigan migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Carrigan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Edward Carrigan, who landed in America in 1782 3
Carrigan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Carrigan, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 3
  • William Carrigan, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 3
  • Neal Carrigan, aged 30, who arrived in New York in 1812 3
  • William Carrigan, aged 43, who landed in New York in 1812 3
  • John Carrigan, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1812 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Carrigan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Carrigan Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Peter Carrigan U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1783 4
Carrigan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Martin Carrigan, who settled in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland in 1815
  • Mary Ann Carrigan, aged 17, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1838 aboard the brig "Susan Maria Brooke" from Donegal, Ireland
  • James Carrigan, aged 18, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1838 aboard the brig "Susan Maria Brooke" from Donegal, Ireland
  • Mr. Brian Carrigan, aged 46 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Ann" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in July 1847 5
  • Mr. Owen Carrigan, aged 5 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Rankin" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in June 1847 5
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Carrigan migration to Australia +

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

Carrigan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mary Carrigan, aged 19, a laundress, who arrived in South Australia in 1859 aboard the ship "James Jardine"

New Zealand Carrigan 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:

Carrigan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Ann Carrigan, aged 21, a housemaid, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Forfarshire" in 1873 6
  • Anne Carrigan, aged 25, a domestic servant, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adamant" in 1874 7
  • Mary Carrigan, aged 23, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hermione" in 1878

Contemporary Notables of the name Carrigan (post 1700) +

  • William Francis Carrigan (1883-1969), nicknamed "Rough", American Major League Baseball catcher from Lewiston, Maine
  • James R. Carrigan (b. 1929), former United States federal judge
  • William Francis Carrigan (1883-1969), American Major League Baseball catcher
  • Jerry Carrigan (b. 1943), American drummer and record producer
  • William Carrigan (b. 1924), Irish canon of the diocese of Ossory and historian
  • Sara Carrigan OAM (b. 1980), Australian professional cyclist, Australian Female Road Cyclist of the Year in 2002, 2003, 2004
  • Eugene Carrigan (1907-1945), Canadian professional hockey centerman
  • Kim Carrigan (b. 1958), Australia's leading exponent of rockclimbing during the late 1970s and early 1980s
  • Aubrey Herbert Carrigan (b. 1917), former Australian first-class cricketer
  • Brian Carrigan (b. 1979), Scottish footballer

Ibrox disaster
  • Robert Turner Carrigan (1958-1971), Scottish football supporter, from Dumbartonshire who was at the Ibrox disaster on 2nd January 1971 when a human crush among the crowd killed 66 and injured 200 people he died of his injuries 8


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. 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)
  4. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  5. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 17)
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 6th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  7. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  8. Bradford City Football Club In memory (retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://www.bradfordcityafc.com/club/in-memoriam/


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