The Anglo-
Norman Conquest of
Ireland lead by
Strongbow introduced the first non-Gaelic elements into Irish nomenclature. These Anglo-
Normans brought some traditions to
Ireland that were not readily found within Gaelic system of
hereditary surnames. One of the best examples of this is the
local surname.
Local surnames, such as lanahan, were taken from the name of a place or a geographical feature where the person lived, held land, or was born. These surnames were very common in
England, but were almost non-existent within
Ireland previous to the conquest. Originally, these place names were prefixed by "de," which means "from" in French. This type of prefix was eventually either made a part of the surname, if the place name began with a vowel, or was eliminated entirely. The lanahan family originally lived in the settlement of Llanaghan, which is in the
Welsh county of Brecon.
Early Origins of the lanahan family
The surname lanahan was first found in County
Roscommon (Irish: Ros Comáin) located in central
Ireland in the province of
Connacht, where they were granted lands by
Strongbow after his invasion of
Ireland in 1172.
Early History of the lanahan family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our lanahan research.
Another 305 words (22 lines of text) covering the year 1249 is included under the topic Early lanahan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
lanahan Spelling Variations
Medieval scribes and church officials spelled the names as they sounded, so a name was often spelled many different ways during the lifetime of a single person. The investigation of the origin of the name lanahan revealed many
spelling variations including Lanigan, Lanahan, Lenaghan, Lanaghan, Linehan and many more.
Early Notables of the lanahan family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early lanahan Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the lanahan family to the New World and Oceana
Ireland experienced a dramatic decrease in its population during the 19th century. This was in a great measure, a response to England's imperialistic policies. Hunger and disease took the lives of many Irish people and many more chose to leave their homeland to escape the horrific conditions. North America with its promise of work, freedom, and land was an extremely popular destination for
Irish families. For those families that survived the journey, all three of these things were often attained through much hard work and perseverance. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name lanahan:
lanahan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- John P Lanahan, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1850 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Contemporary Notables of the name lanahan (post 1700)
- Major-General Francis Henry Lanahan (1897-1975), American Chief Signal Officer, US Forces in Europe (1945-1947) [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, April 2) Francis Lanahan. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Lanahan/Francis_Henry/USA.html - Kitty Lanahan (1903-1954), American actress better known as Kathleen Key during the silent era and great-great granddaughter of Francis Scott Key, composer of "The Star Spangled Banner"
- Dick Lanahan (1911-1975), American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher
The lanahan 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: Patriae infelici fidelis
Motto Translation: Faithful to an unhappy country.