O'Rogan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Early Origins of the O'Rogan family

The surname O'Rogan was first found in Armagh (Irish: Ard Mhacha) located in the province of Ulster in present day Northern Ireland, where they held a family seat as chiefs of great importance. In Gaelic, the name was Ó Ruadhagáin and was "an Oriel sept formerly of considerable importance." 1 The name is derived from "ruadh" meaning "red", so the surname can be translated as "red-haired." 2

The family claim descent from the O'Hanlons, Lords of Orior, in the County Armagh and recognize this ancestry through a very similar Coat of Arms. Both have a green shield with a boar on a mound in the base of the shield. Specifically, the family claim descend through "Feig, son of Felim, who had a brother name Eachach, who was the ancestor of Rogan." (O'Hart)

Early History of the O'Rogan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Rogan research. Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early O'Rogan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

O'Rogan Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Rogan, O'Rogan, Rogain, Rogayne, O'Rogain and others.

Early Notables of the O'Rogan family

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

Migration of the O'Rogan family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Andrew Rogan, who came to America in 1770; Ardel Rogan, who settled in Philadelphia in 1813; Biddy Rogan, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1820; Agnes Rogan, who settled in New York in 1849.

Sources +

MacLysaght, Edward, More Irish Families. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-0126-0)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print