Hundreds of years ago, the Gaelic name used by the MacKeigan family in
Ireland was Mac Aodhagain, which means son of Aodh, a
personal name usually Anglicized as Hugh.
Early Origins of the MacKeigan family
The surname MacKeigan was first found in County
Tipperary (Irish: Thiobraid Árann), established in the 13th century in South-central
Ireland, in the province of
Munster, where they held a
family seat from very ancient times.
Early History of the MacKeigan family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacKeigan research.
Another 273 words (20 lines of text) covering the year 1172 is included under the topic Early MacKeigan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
MacKeigan Spelling Variations
Pronunciation, 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 MacKeigan are preserved in these old documents. The various spellings of the name that were found include Egan, Eagan, Keegan, MacEgan, Kegan, Keagan and many more.
Early Notables of the MacKeigan family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early MacKeigan Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the MacKeigan family to the New World and Oceana
A massive amount of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century for North America and
Australia in hopes of finding more opportunities and an escape from discrimination and oppression. A great portion of these migrants arrived on the eastern shores of the North American continent. Although they were generally poor and destitute, and, therefore, again discriminated against, these Irish people were heartily welcomed for the hard labor involved in the construction of railroads, canals, roadways, and buildings. Many others were put to work in the newly established factories or agricultural projects that were so essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the world. The
Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s initiated the largest wave of Iris immigration. Early North American immigration and passenger lists have revealed a number of people bearing the name MacKeigan or a variant listed above: Rev. Michael Egan who became Bishop of Philadelphia in 1790. Many other Egans settled in this city during the 19th century.
The MacKeigan 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: Fortitudine et prudentia
Motto Translation: With fortitude and prudence.