Linahen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
England

Etymology of Linahen

What does the name Linahen mean?

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 Linahen, 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 Linahen family originally lived in the settlement of Llanaghan, which is in the Welsh county of Brecon.

Early Origins of the Linahen family

The surname Linahen 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 Linahen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Linahen research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1249 is included under the topic Early Linahen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Linahen Spelling Variations

Church officials and medieval scribes often simply spelled names as they sounded. As a result, a single person's name may have been recorded a dozen different ways during his lifetime. Spelling variations for the name Linahen include: Lanigan, Lanahan, Lenaghan, Lanaghan, Linehan and many more.

Early Notables of the Linahen family

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

Linahen migration to Canada +

In the 1840s, Ireland experienced a mass exodus to North America due to the Great Potato Famine. These families wanted to escape from hunger and disease that was ravaging their homeland. With the promise of work, freedom and land overseas, the Irish looked upon British North America and the United States as a means of hope and prosperity. Those that survived the journey were able to achieve this through much hard work and perseverance. Early immigration and passenger lists revealed many bearing the name Linahen:

Linahen Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

James E. Linahen, aged 53, who arrived in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, in 1922
Mary E. Linahen, aged 48, who arrived in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, in 1922

The Linahen 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.