Show ContentsMulligan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Irish name Mulligan was originally written in a Gaelic form as O Maolagain, which is derived from the word maol, which means bald.

Early Origins of the Mulligan family

The surname Mulligan was first found in County Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall), northwest Ireland in the province of Ulster, sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Early History of the Mulligan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mulligan research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1431 is included under the topic Early Mulligan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mulligan Spelling Variations

A name was often recorded during the Middle Ages under several different spelling variations during the life of its bearer because literacy was rare there was no real push to clearly define any of the languages found in the British Isles at that time. Variations found of the name Mulligan include Mulligan, O'Mulligan, Mullican, Mullighan, Mulliken and many more.

Early Notables of the Mulligan family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

  • John Mulligan, Bishop of Leighlin in 1431
  • William Mulligan, Professor of Mathematics
  • Father Edward Mulligan a Cistercian Monk

Mulligan Ranking

In the United States, the name Mulligan is the 2,892nd most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. [1]


United States Mulligan migration to the United States +

Death and immigration greatly reduced Ireland's population in the 19th century. For the native Irish people poverty, hunger, and racial prejudice was common. Therefore, thousands left their homeland to seek opportunity in North America. Those who survived the journey and the quarantine camps to which they arrived, were instrumental towards building the strong developing nations of the United States and the future Canada. By far, the largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. These were employed as construction or factory workers. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has shown early immigrants bearing the name Mulligan:

Mulligan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Barnard Mulligan, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1802 [2]
  • John Mulligan, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1806 [2]
  • Owen Mulligan, aged 26, who arrived in New York in 1812 [2]
  • Archibald Mulligan, aged 47, who arrived in New York in 1812 [2]
  • Andw Mulligan, aged 21, who arrived in America in 1821 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Mulligan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mulligan Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Jane Mulligan U.E. who settled in New Brunswick c. 1784 [3]
  • Mr. Thomas Mulligan U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 [3]
Mulligan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Michael Mulligan, aged 40, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "John & Mary" from Belfast, Ireland
  • Elizabeth Mulligan, aged 20, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Silestria" from Belfast, Ireland
  • Kitty Mulligan, aged 20, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Betsy Heron" from Belfast, Ireland
  • Terence Mulligan, aged 28, a tailor, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the schooner "Sarah" from Belfast, Ireland
  • Mary Mulligan, aged 26, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the schooner "Sarah" from Belfast, Ireland
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Mulligan migration to Australia +

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

Mulligan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Mulligan, (b. 1812), aged 19, Irish carpenter who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Captain Cook" on 5th November 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1834 [4]
  • Mr. Thomas Mulligan, (b. 1812), aged 21, Irish carpenter who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Captain Cook" on 2nd May 1833, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he was executed in 1834 for highway robbery [4]
  • Ellen Mulligan, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "D'Auvergne" in 1839 [5]
  • Mr. Daniel Mulligan, (b. 1823), aged 21, Irish shoe maker who was convicted in County Meath, Ireland for life for attempted murder, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 9th April 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [6]
  • Patrick Mulligan, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Aboukir" in 1847 [7]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Mulligan migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Mulligan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Margaret Mulligan, (b. 1851), aged 22, Irish servant from Cavan travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Surat" going to Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand in 1873, the ship sunk at the Catlins River all the passengers were transported to Dunedin via various rescure vessels [8]
  • James Mulligan, aged 22, a ploughman, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Queen of Nations" in 1874
  • Patrick Mulligan, aged 44, a farmer, who arrived in Bluff, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oamaru" in 1878
  • Margaret Mulligan, aged 40, who arrived in Bluff, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oamaru" in 1878
  • Bridget Mulligan, aged 8, who arrived in Bluff, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oamaru" in 1878
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Mulligan (post 1700) +

  • John DeClan Mulligan (1938-2021), Irish-born American rock musician, singer and songwriter, best known as a guitarist of rock band The Beau Brummels in the 1960s
  • Blackjack Mulligan (1942-2016), ring name of Robert Jack Windham, American wrestler and football player
  • John A. "Buddy" Mulligan, American golf locker room attendant in the 1930s at Essex Fells CC, N.J., for whom the phrase "take a Mulligan" was coined
  • Matthew Benjamin Mulligan (b. 1985), American NFL football tight end for the Green Bay Packers
  • Declan Mulligan (b. 1938), Irish rock musician, singer and songwriter, best known as a guitarist of American rock band The Beau Brummels
  • Gerald Joseph "Gerry" Mulligan (1927-1996), American Grammy Award winning jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger, inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame (1984)
  • Robert Patrick Mulligan (1925-2008), American Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated, Primetime Emmy Award winning film and television director
  • Richard Mulligan (1932-2000), American actor, recipient of two Best Actor Emmy Awards
  • Eoin "Mugsy" Mulligan, Irish Gaelic football player
  • Patrick Martin "Paddy" Mulligan (b. 1945), retired Irish footballer
  • ... (Another 14 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Hood
  • Mr. James Mulligan (b. 1920), English Stoker 1st Class serving for the Royal Navy from Warrington, Lancashire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking [9]


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/captain-cook
  5. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) D'AUVERGNE 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839D'Auvergne.htm
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cadet/
  7. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ABOUKIR 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Aboukir.htm
  8. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  9. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm


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