Regand History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of Regand

What does the name Regand mean?

Irish surnames are linked to the long Gaelic heritage of the Island nation. The original Gaelic form of the name Regand is Ó Riagain. In County Waterford, the Gaelic form Ó Reagain is used.

Early Origins of the Regand family

The surname Regand was first found in County Meath (Irish: An Mhí) anciently part of the kingdom of Brega, located in Eastern Ireland, in the province of Leinster, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

One of the oldest records of the family was Morice Regan (fl. 1171), an Irish interpreter. He is stated in an old French poem, of which the only text begins 'Par soen demeine latimer.' He is thought to have acted as an interpreter and herald, or envoy in the service of Diarmaid MacMurchada, King of Leinster. 1

Early History of the Regand family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Regand research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the year 1172 is included under the topic Early Regand History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Regand Spelling Variations

Lacking standardized spellings, scribes and church officials recorded people's name according to how they sounded. This practice often led to the misleading result of one person's name being recorded under several different spellings. Numerous spelling variations of the surname Regand are preserved in the archival documents of the period. The various spellings of the name that were found include Reagan, Regan, O'Regan, O'Reagan and others.

Early Notables of the Regand family

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

Migration of the Regand family

Many Irish families boarded ships bound for North America in the middle of 19th century to escape the conditions of poverty and racial discrimination at that time. Although these immigrants often arrived in a destitute state, they went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. An inquiry into many immigration and passenger lists has revealed many early immigrants to North America bearing the Regand family name: John Regan, who settled with his wife and three children in Prescott, Ontario, Canada, in 1825; James, John, Patrick, Thomas and William O'Regan, who all arrived at Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.

Sources +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print