Celtic in origin, the name Goggan came from the rugged landscape of
Wales. The name's origins go back to a time when the Goggan family lived in the parish of Cogan, which is in the diocese of Llandaff in the county of Glamorgan. The surname Goggan belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.
Early Origins of the Goggan family
The surname Goggan was first found in
Glamorganshire (Welsh: Sir Forgannwg), a region of South
Wales, anciently part of the
Welsh kingdom of Glywysing, where they held a
family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the
Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.
Early History of the Goggan family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Goggan research.
Another 225 words (16 lines of text) covering the year 1172 is included under the topic Early Goggan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Goggan Spelling Variations
There are relatively few surnames native to Wales, but they have an inordinately large number of
spelling variations. Early variations of
Welsh surnames can be explained by the fact that very few people in the early Middle Ages were literate. Priests and the few other literate people were responsible for recording names in official documents. And because most people could not specific how to properly record their names it was up to the individual recorder of that time to determine how a spoken name should be recorded. Variations due to the imprecise or improper recording of a name continued later in history when names originally composed in the
Brythonic Celtic, language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, were transliterated into English.
Welsh names that were documented in English often changed dramatically since the native language of Wales, which was highly inflected, did not copy well. Occasionally, however,
spelling variations were carried out according to an individual's specific design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by minor variations. The spelling variations of the name Goggan have included Cogan, Cogen, Coogan, Coogen, Coogin, Coggan, Coggen, Coggin, Coggins, Gogan, Goggin and many more.
Early Notables of the Goggan family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Goggan Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Goggan family to Ireland
Some of the Goggan family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 179 words (13 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Goggan family to the New World and Oceana
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Goggan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
- Kenny Goggan, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1829
- Mary Goggan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1831
- Ann Goggan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1832
The Goggan Motto
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.
Motto: Constans fidei
Motto Translation: Constant to honor.