Show ContentsGagan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The original Gaelic form of the Gagan surname is Mag Eochagain, a patronymic derived from the personal name Eochaidh.

Early Origins of the Gagan family

The surname Gagan was first found in the county of Westmeath (Irish: An Iarmhí) in the Irish Midlands, province of Leinster, in the barony of Moycashel at Kilbeggan where they held a family seat from ancient times. Traditionally, the Gagans are said to descend from Fiacha, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages.

Early History of the Gagan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gagan research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1186, 1291, 1580, 1600, 1603, 1650, 1689, 1702, 1749, 1763 and 1800 are included under the topic Early Gagan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gagan Spelling Variations

Individual scribes in the Ireland during the Middle Ages would often record a person's name various ways. How the name was recorded depended on what that particular scribe believed the proper spelling for the name pronounced to him was. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origin of the Gagan family name include Geoghegan, Gagahan, Gahagan, Gahaghan, Gaghan, Gegan, MacGeoghegan, Geohan and many more.

Early Notables of the Gagan family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was Conal MacGeoghegan (circa 1580-1650) Chief of the sept MacGeoghegan, historian who translated the Annals of Clonmacnoise; James MacGeoghegan (1702-1763) of Westmeath, an ordained priest in Paris, who wrote a "History of Ireland;" and Edward Geoghegan of Dublin was one of the most eminent surgeons of his time (early 1800s).Usher Gagahan (d. 1749), was an Irish classical scholar, belonged to a good family of Westmeath, Ireland; was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, but took...
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gagan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Gagan migration to the United States +

Irish families began to immigrate to British North America and the United States in the 18th century, but the greatest influx of Irish immigrants came during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. The earlier settlers came to North America after a great deal of consideration and by paying relatively high fees for their passage. These settlers were primarily drawn by the promise of land. Those later settlers that came during the 1840's were trying to escape the conditions of poverty, starvation, disease, and death that had stricken Ireland. Due to the enormity of their numbers and the late date of their arrival, these immigrants primarily became hired laborers instead of homesteading settlers like their predecessors. An exhaustive search of immigration and passenger lists has revealed many Irish immigrants North America bearing the name Gagan:

Gagan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mabel Gagan, aged 25, who immigrated to America, in 1894
  • Patrick Gagan, aged 29, who immigrated to the United States, in 1895
  • Kate Gagan, aged 10, who landed in America, in 1895
  • Maggie Gagan, aged 18, who landed in America, in 1896
Gagan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • James Gagan, aged 54, who immigrated to the United States from London, in 1906
  • David Gagan, aged 42, who landed in America from London, in 1906
  • George Gagan, aged 22, who immigrated to the United States, in 1918
  • J. J. Gagan, aged 35, who settled in America, in 1923

Canada Gagan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gagan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Gagan, aged 30 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Scotland" departing 13th April 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 8th June 1847 but he died on board 1

Australia Gagan migration to Australia +

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

Gagan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Gagan, Irish convict who was convicted in Meath, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Gagan (post 1700) +

  • William Gagan (b. 1981), American photojournalist
  • Jacob Gagan (b. 1993), Australian professional rugby league footballer


  1. 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. 76)
  2. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas


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