While the Anglicized versions of Irish names are familiar to most people, all Irish names have a long and proud Gaelic heritage that is often unknown. The original Gaelic form of the name Cooligan is "O Cuileagain."
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Early Origins of the Cooligan family
The surname Cooligan was first found in County Londonderry (Irish: Doire), a Northern Irish county also known as Derry, in the province of Ulster, where they held a family seat from ancient times.
Early History of the Cooligan family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cooligan research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cooligan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Cooligan 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 Cooligan revealed many variations, including Culligan, Colligan, Quilligan, O'Quilligan, O'Culligan, O'Colligan, Coligan, Culigan, Colgan and many more.
Early Notables of the Cooligan family
More information is included under the topic Early Cooligan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Cooligan family
The 18th century saw the slow yet steady emigration of Irish families to British North America and the United States. Those early Irish settlers that left their homeland were typically moderately well off: they were enticed by the promise of a sizable plot of land. However, by the 1840s, this pattern of immigration was gone: immigrants to North America were seeking refuge from the starvation and disease that the Great Potato Famine of that decade brought. The great numbers of Irish that arrived to the United States and the soon to be Canada were instrumental in their quick development as powerful industrial nations. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists uncovered many early immigrants bearing the name Cooligan: Arthur, Bernard, and Thomas Colligan, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1640 to 1670; as well as John, Pat and Simon Culligan, who arrived in Quebec in 1839..
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
