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Grogan History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Grogan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany
Ireland

All Irish surnames have a unique and often romantic meaning. The name Grogan originally appeared in Gaelic as "O Grugain," which is derived from either "gruag," which means "hair," and "grug," which means "fierceness."

Early Origins of the Grogan family

The surname Grogan was first found in County Roscommon (Irish: Ros Comáin) located in central Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Early History of the Grogan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grogan research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1172 is included under the topic Early Grogan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Grogan Spelling Variations

In the Middle Ages many people were recorded under different spellings each time their name was written down. Research on the Grogan family name revealed numerous spelling variations, including Grogan, O'Grogan, Grogen, Groogen, Grugen, Groggan, O'Groogan and many more.

Early Notables of the Grogan family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

Sir Edward Grogan

Grogan Ranking

In the United States, the name Grogan is the 2,820^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1

Grogan migration to the United States +

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 Grogan:

Grogan Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Alexander Grogan, who landed in Virginia in 1652 2

Grogan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Grogan, aged 20, who arrived in America in 1822 2
Thomas Grogan, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 2
Mary Grogan, who arrived in New York in 1847 2
Patrick Grogan, aged 19, who arrived in New York in 1849 2
John Grogan, who landed in New York in 1849 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Grogan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Grogan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

John Grogan, aged 27, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the ship "Edwin" from Dublin, Ireland
Mr. James Grogan, aged 14 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec but died on Grosse Isle on 3rd August 1847 3
Mr. John Grogan who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Bee" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in June 1847 3
Mr. Michael Grogan, aged 23 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Bee" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in June 1847 3
Mr. John Grogan, aged 3 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Agamemnon" departing 24th June 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 31st July 1847 but he died on board 4

Grogan migration to Australia +

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

Grogan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Grogan, Irish convict who was convicted in Kilkenny, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Mr. Jeremiah Grogan, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 5th November 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land)1836 6
Patrick Grogan, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Britannia" in 1846 7
Mr. John Grogan, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "China" on 81st January 1846, arriving in Norfolk Island, Australia 8
Ann Grogan, aged 21, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Lismoyne"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Grogan 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:

Grogan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

John Grogan, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Nimroud" in 1863
Charles Grogan, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Nimroud" in 1863
Ellen Grogan, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Nimroud" in 1864
Thomas Grogan, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oxford" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name Grogan (post 1700) +

Steve James Grogan (b. 1953), former American NFL football quarterback for the New England Patriots
John Grogan (b. 1957), American journalist and non-fiction writer, best known for his memoir Marley & Me (2005), a best selling book about his family's dog Marley
James Grogan (1931-2000), American figure skater, winner of the bronze medal at the 1952 Oslo Olympics
Nathaniel Grogan (1740-1807), Irish painter, a native of Cork, served first as an apprentice to a wood-turner, but becoming acquainted with John Butts, the painter, at Cork, desired to become a painter
Cornelius Grogan (1738-1798), United Irishman, born about 1738, eldest son of John Grogan of Johnstown Castle, Wexford
Brigadier General George William St George Grogan VC CB, CMG, DSO & Bar (1875-1962), Scottish-born, from Irish descent recipient of the Victoria Cross
Kevin Grogan (b. 1981), Irish professional footballer
John Grogan (b. 1951), Canadian politician and teacher
John Timothy Grogan (b. 1961), former British Labour Party politician
Ewart Scott Grogan (1874-1967), British explorer, politician, and entrepreneur, the first person to walk the length of Africa
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Grogan family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Robert T Grogan (b. 1899), English Commander (E) serving for the Royal Navy from Lower Walmer, Kent, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 9

HMS Royal Oak

John Grogan (d. 1939), British Marine with the Royal Marine aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 10

The Grogan 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: Honor et virtus
Motto Translation: Honour and virtue.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
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. 31)
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. 78)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1835
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BRITANNIA 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846Britannia.htm
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 5th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/china
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html