O'Broghynd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Today's Irish surnames are underpinned by a multitude of rich histories. The name O'Broghynd originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Brogain. 1

Broccán Clóen (Saint Brogan) was an Irish cleric who lived in the sixth or seventh century. Various spellings were used to denote him including: Brogan, Broccan, Bracan, Bearchan and Bearchanus. Saint Broccán of Rosstuirc (of 17 September), is believed to be the author of the hymn to Saint Brigid. He was possibly the nephew of Saint Patrick. Some people believe that were in fact more than one Saint Brogan.

Early Origins of the O'Broghynd family

The surname O'Broghynd was first found in counties Mayo and Sligo (Irish: Sligeach), in the province of Connacht in Northwestern Ireland, in north Connacht where they had been a part of the ancient Ui Fiachrach since before recorded history. 2

They were of the Ui Fiachrach Muaidhe, or northern branch, descended from a chieftain, O'Brogain, which, translated literally, means descendant "of the young sorrowful one."

Brocan was a younger brother of Lughaidh, ancestor of O'Duana, anglicized Downs, Duane, Devan and Dwaine was the progenitor of the family. Brocan, a quo O'Brocain, or Brogan in English, literally meant "little badger." 3

As is often the case, Gaelic translations into English can have multiple meanings.

Early History of the O'Broghynd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Broghynd research. Another 126 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early O'Broghynd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

O'Broghynd Spelling Variations

Before widespread literacy came to Ireland, a name was often recorded under several different variations during the life of its bearer. Accordingly, numerous spelling variations were revealed in the search for the origin of the name O'Broghynd family name. Variations found include Brogan, Brogin, Brogon, O'Brogan, Brogen, Brochain and many more.

Early Notables of the O'Broghynd family

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

Migration of the O'Broghynd family

To escape the religious and political discrimination they experienced primarily at the hands of the English, thousands of Irish left their homeland in the 19th century. These migrants typically settled in communities throughout the East Coast of North America, but also joined the wagon trains moving out to the Midwest. Ironically, when the American War of Independence began, many Irish settlers took the side of England, and at the war's conclusion moved north to Canada. These United Empire Loyalists, were granted land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula. Other Irish immigrants settled in Newfoundland, the Ottawa Valley, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, however, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America and Australia. Many of those numbers, however, did not live through the long sea passage. These Irish settlers to North America were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. Irish settlers made an inestimable contribution to the building of the New World. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name O'Broghynd or a variant listed above, including: Thomas Brogan, who came to Pennsylvania in 1773; Patrick Brogan, who came to New York, NY in 1815; William Brogan, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1818.

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
MacLysaght, Edward, More Irish Families. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-0126-0)
O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)