Lennan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

The Lennan surname is an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Gille Fhinneain, a patronymic name created from a Gaelic personal name "Fionnán," from the Gaelic "fionn," meaning "white."

Early Origins of the Lennan family

The surname Lennan was first found in Ayrshire where their history vitally is enmeshed with that of the larger Logan Clan. The Lennan spelling of this name was first found in Druimdeurfait, in Ross-shire, where they were a branch of the Highland Logans, who lived along Loch Lochy. According to family lore, they descend from Gilliegorm, Chief of the northern Logans, who was killed battling the Clan Fraser. His pregnant wife taken captive by Lord Lovat. Her son, born humped back, was called Crotair MacGilliegorm, the "crooked-back son of Gilliegorm." Fearing future revenge on the Frasers by the boy, he was sent to a monastery at Beauly, where he became a monk. He was said to be an ardent follower of the Irish Saint Fhinan, and one of his children took the name Mac Gillie Fhinan, which eventually became MacLennan.

Early History of the Lennan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lennan research. Another 247 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1204, 1296, 1329, 1555, 1606, 1609, 1746 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Lennan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lennan Spelling Variations

Spelling variations occur frequently in Scottish names that date from the medieval era. They result from a general lack of grammatical rules and the tendency to spell names according to sound. Lennan has been spelled MacLennan, MacLenan, McLennan, McLennen and many more.

Early Notables of the Lennan family

More information is included under the topic Early Lennan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lennan family to Ireland

Some of the Lennan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lennan migration to the United States +

In the 20th century, the ancestors of many of those Boernician-Scottish people still populate North America. They distributed themselves on either side of the border at the time of the War of Independence. United Empire Loyalists went north to Canada and those who wanted a new nation stayed south. Both groups went on to found great nations. Some of the first North American settlers with Lennan name or one of its variants:

Lennan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Edward Lennan, who landed in America in 1806 1

Lennan migration to Australia +

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

Lennan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Catherine Lennan, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Birman" in 1840 2
Anne Lennan, aged 29, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Constantine"
Thomas Lennan, aged 24, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Monsoon"
Patrick Lennan, aged 25, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Carnatic"
Charles Lennan, aged 21, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Sir Thomas Gresham" 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Lennan (post 1700) +

C. E. Lennan, American politician, Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives 40th District, 1921-22 4

The Lennan 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: Hoc majorum virtus
Motto Translation: This is the valour of my ancestors.

Citations +

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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BIRMAN 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Birman.htm
South Australian Register Monday 20th March 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Sir Thomas Gresham 1858. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/sirthomasgresham1858.shtml
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html