Contents [hide]

Scanlon History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Scanlon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Today's Irish surnames are underpinned by a multitude of rich histories. The name Scanlon originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Scannlain or Mac Scannlain, which are both derived from the word "scannal," which means "contention." 1

Early Origins of the Scanlon family

The surname Scanlon was first found in County Louth (Irish: Lú) the smallest county in Ireland, located on the East coast, in the Province of Leinster. "The Mac Scanlans were a sept of Louth, from whom the ancient locality of Bally Mac Scanlan took its name. The first of the family mentioned by D'Alton is Patrick O'Scanlan, who was made archbishop or Armagh in 1261. " 2 According to O'Hart, the family claim descent from the Heremon Kings of Ireland, more specifically through the O'Shaughnessey pedigree as Tuadan, brother of Duach was the ancestor of O'Scannla which is Anglicized as Scanlan. 3

However, MacLysaght claims that there are two quite distinct septs; the Ó Scannlain of Munster and MacScannlain of Louth. The latter claimed Bally Mac Scanlan (Ballymacscanlan) as their ancient homeland. He continues pointing out that there are six places names Ballymacscanlan throughout Ireland eluding to the family's widespread distribution. 4

Early History of the Scanlon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Scanlon research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1272 is included under the topic Early Scanlon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Scanlon 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 Scanlon family name. Variations found include Scanlan, O'Scannell, O'Scanlan, O'Scanlon, MacScanlan, Scanlin and many more.

Early Notables of the Scanlon family

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

Scanlon Ranking

In the United States, the name Scanlon is the 3,257^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 5

Scanlon migration to the United States +

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 Scanlon or a variant listed above, including:

Scanlon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Patrick Scanlon, who landed in America in 1802 6
Peter Scanlon, who landed in America in 1810 6
John Scanlon, who landed in New London, Connecticut in 1811 6
Brien Scanlon, who landed in New York, NY in 1812 6
Peter Scanlon, aged 33, who arrived in New York in 1812 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Scanlon Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Henry Scanlon, who arrived in Arkansas in 1905 6

Scanlon migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Scanlon Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Owen Scanlon, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1802
John Scanlon, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1806
Honora Scanlon, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1832

Scanlon migration to Australia +

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

Scanlon Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Michael Scanlon, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Birman" in 1840 7
Mary Scanlon, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Birman" in 1840 7
Patrick Scanlon, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Birman" in 1840 7
Winny Scanlon, aged 26, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "Constance" 8
Michael Scanlon, aged 39, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Sibella" 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Scanlon 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:

Scanlon Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

David Scanlon, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1843
Miss Mary Scanlon, (b. 1850), aged 16, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 5th January 1867 10
Miss Anne Scanlon, (b. 1849), aged 17, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 5th January 1867 10
Mrs. Barbara Scanlon, (b. 1831), aged 35, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 5th January 1867 10
Margaret Scanlon, aged 21, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1872
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Scanlon (post 1700) +

Thomas Michael "Tim" Scanlon (b. 1940), American philosopher, former Alford Professor of Natural Religion, Moral Philosophy, and Civil Polity in Harvard University's Department of Philosophy
William Neil "Bill" Scanlon (1956-2021), American tennis player who won seven singles and two doubles titles during his 13-year professional career
Joseph Scanlon (b. 1970), American Democratic politician who served in the Pennsylvania State Senate (1969 to 1970)
Brigadier-General Martin Francis Scanlon (1889-1980), American President of the Army Air Force Evaluation Board (1944-1946) 11
Thomas E. Scanlon (1896-1955), American politician, Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1941 to 1945)
James Patrick Scanlon (b. 1952), American former Major League Baseball third baseman
Patrick J. "Pat" Scanlon (1861-1913), Canadian-born, American Major League Baseball outfielder
Michael Scanlon (1843-1929), Irish-born, American Major League Baseball manager (1884 to 1886)
Dewey Scanlon (1899-1924), American football head coach in the National Football League (1924 to 1929)
Bill Scanlon (b. 1956), retired American tennis player, the only professional ever to achieve a golden set
... (Another 11 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Scanlon family +

SS Atlantic

Cornelius Scanlon, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, survived the sinking

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BIRMAN 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Birman.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONSTANCE 1850. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Constance.htm
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SIBELLA 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/sibella1852.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2014, March 26) Martin Scanlon. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Scanlon/Martin_Francis/USA.html