Show ContentsMehegan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Mehegan originally appeared in Gaelic as "O Miadhachain," which is derived from the word miadhach, meaning honorable. [1]

Early Origins of the Mehegan family

The surname Mehegan was first found in County Leitrim (Irish: Liatroim) anciently the western half of the kingdom of Breifne, located in Northeastern Ireland, in Leinster province, Originally, "Ó Miadhacháin, this is the name of at least two distinct septs; it is now equally distributed throughout the four provinces." [2]

Early History of the Mehegan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mehegan research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1172 is included under the topic Early Mehegan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mehegan Spelling Variations

Just like the English language, the Gaelic language of Ireland was not standardized in the Middle Ages. Therefore, one's name was often recorded under several different spellings during the life of its bearer. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origins of the Mehegan family name include Meighan, Meehan, Meegin, Meeghen, Meegan, Meakin, Meakins, Mekins, Mehan, Mehen, Mehigan, Mehegan, O'Meighan, O'Meehan and many more.

Early Notables of the Mehegan family

Notable among the family name at this time was

  • Count James Mehegan whose sons were Chevalier O'Mehegan a soldier, and Chevalier William Mehegan, French Author


United States Mehegan migration to the United States +

Ireland became inhospitable for many native Irish families in the 19th centuries. Poverty, lack of opportunities, high rents, and discrimination forced thousands to leave the island for North America. The largest exodus of Irish settlers occurred with the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. For these immigrants the journey to British North America and the United States was long and dangerous and many did not live to see the shores of those new lands. Those who did make it were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest and most powerful nations of the world. These Irish immigrants were not only important for peopling the new settlements and cities, they also provided the manpower needed for the many industrial and agricultural projects so essential to these growing nations. Immigration and passenger lists have documented the arrival of various people bearing the name Mehegan to North America:

Mehegan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Mehegan, who settled in San Francisco in 1850
  • Nellie Mehegan, aged 16, who immigrated to the United States from Blackrock, in 1899
Mehegan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mary Mehegan, aged 18, who landed in America from Ballarumple, in 1902
  • Edward Mehegan, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States from Warrenpoint, Ireland, in 1910
  • Gerald Mehegan, aged 20, who landed in America from Liverpool, England, in 1912
  • Margaret Mehegan, aged 52, who settled in America from Liverpool, England, in 1912
  • Patrick Mehegan, aged 33, who settled in America, in 1918
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Mehegan (post 1700) +

  • Mary Xavier Mehegan (1825-1915), Irish-born, American founder of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, New Jersey and founded New Jersey's first four-year women's college
  • John Mehegan (1916-1984), American jazz pianist, lecturer and critic
  • Eugene S. Mehegan, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Massachusetts, 1928 [3]


  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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