MacGranahan History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsMany variations of the name MacGranahan have evolved since the time of its initial creation. In Gaelic it appeared as Mac Raghnaill, which means son of Raghnal. Raghnal is a personal name equivalent to Randal or Reginald. Early Origins of the MacGranahan familyThe surname MacGranahan was first found in Connacht (Irish: Connachta, (land of the) descendants of Conn), where they held a family seat from ancient times. Early History of the MacGranahan familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacGranahan research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1625, 1657, 1717 and 1725 are included under the topic Early MacGranahan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. MacGranahan Spelling VariationsPronunciation, rather than spelling, guided scribes and church officials when recording names during the Middle Ages. This practice often resulted in one person's name being recorded under several different spellings. Numerous spelling variations of the surname MacGranahan are preserved in these old documents. The various spellings of the name that were found include McRannell, McReynolds, Reynolds, Grannell, Magranill, MacGrannell, MacRaghnald, MacRanel, McRanel, MacRannal, MacRannel, MacRanell, MacRanall and many more. Early Notables of the MacGranahan familyAnother 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacGranahan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the MacGranahan family relocated to North American shores quite early: MacGranahan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
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