| ![Show Contents]() Highlands History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of HighlandsWhat does the name Highlands mean? There are many Irish surnames being used today in forms that are quite different than their original, ancient forms. Highlands originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó hUallachain, which is derived from the word "uallach," which means "proud." 1 Early Origins of the Highlands familyThe surname Highlands was first found in Thomond (Irish: Tuadh Mumhan), literally North Thomond, the pre-Norman Kingdom of Thomond, since divided between counties Limerick, Tipperary and Clare, where they held a family seat from ancient times. Early History of the Highlands familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Highlands research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Highlands History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Highlands Spelling VariationsMany spelling variations of the surname Highlands can be found in the archives. One reason for these variations is that ancient scribes and church officials recorded names as they were pronounced, often resulting in a single person being recorded under several different spellings. The different spellings that were found include Holohan, O'Holohan, Mulholland, Highland, Hoolohan, Houlihan, Hooligan, Whelton, Oulihan, Oulahen, Whoolahan and many more. Early Notables of the Highlands familyMore information is included under the topic Early Highlands Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Highlands migration to the United States | + |
A great mass of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century, seeking relief from various forms of social, religious, and economic discrimination. This Irish exodus was primarily to North America. If the migrants survived the long ocean journey, many unfortunately would find more discrimination in the colonies of British North America and the fledgling United States of America. These newly arrived Irish were, however, wanted as a cheap source of labor for the many large agricultural and industrial projects that were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the western world. Early immigration and passenger lists indicate many people bearing the Highlands name:
Highlands Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Samuel Highlands, who landed in America in 1795 2
- MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
- 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)
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