Surname Halligan - Meaning and Origin
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Halligan: What does the surname Halligan mean?
The last name Halligan is an Irish Gaelic surname, derived from the Irish words 'Ó hEallaigh' which means 'descendent of Eallach' or 'the stranger.' The family who originally bore the Halligan surname are believed to have originated in County Clare, Ireland, the northern part of the province of Connacht.
The Halligans are likely descended from an ancient Irish tribe who lived in that part of the country. In addition to its Gaelic roots, Halligan may also stem from an Anglicised version of French name Haligan. While many branches of the Halligan family are still located in Clare, others have since spread to other parts of Ireland, as well as to the United States.
The Halligans are a proud and well-rooted family. Today, their name can be found amongst the Irish diaspora, where the Halligan family continues to be a vibrant part of the Irish culture. A Halligan is someone who displays a strong sense of community, loyalty, and devotion - traits which remain characteristic of the proud family to this day.
Order DNA origin analysisHalligan: Where does the name Halligan come from?
The last name Halligan is most commonly found in Ireland today. It is an Irish surname derived from the Irish Gaelic form Ó hAolagáin, meaning "descendant of Aolagain." This name is believed to have originated from the old Irish personal name Aolagan, which means "one who is thirsty" or "one who exalts the foreign God."
Halligan is particularly prominent in the Ulster Province of Ireland, mainly in the Counties of Mayo, Cork, Leitrim, Limerick, and Donegal. It was first found in Leitrim, where they were known as an invitation-only sept or clan. According to the 1890 book, The Irish Name Book, Halligan is the 397th most numerous surname in Ireland, and the surname is still among the top 400 most common names in the country today.
The Halligans also migrated to other countries, including the UK, the US, Canada, and Australia. Records show that the first recorded Halligan in the United States was Captain William Halligan who immigrated to Philadelphia from Wicklow, Ireland in 1793. In the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, there were sizable numbers of Halligans who settled in the early 19th century.
In the UK, Halligans are particularly common in Cornwall. It is possible that these Halligans descended from Irish immigrants who followed the potato trail of 1848. In Australia, Halligans are most prominent in New South Wales and Victoria, where there are numerous monuments and memorials related to the surname.
Variations of the surname Halligan
The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Halligan include Haligan, Hallagain, O'Hallagain, O'Halligan, Hallihan and McHalegan.
Halligan, its variant spellings, and surnames of the same origin are derived from the Irish “O hOileagain” or “O hAileagain”, two of the ten septs of Uí Néill, a powerful dynasty in the Irish province of Ulster who dominated most of Irish politics between the 12th to 17th centuries. The variations of the name Halligan usually describe a descendent of Ailghean who are of the Uí Néill Septs.
The Halligan surname is typically of Irish or Scottish origin and is a variant of the Irish surname "O hAileagain" which has its roots in the Gaelic form of “Ailghean” which means “direct descendant of Ailghean”. The name can also be found spelled as Hallagain, Haligan, O'Hallagain, O'Halligan, Hallihan, and McHalegan.
In Ireland the Halligan name became most concentrated in the province of County Cork where it is still common today, while the Irish surname can also be found scattered throughout the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Australia.
Famous people with the name Halligan
- Roddy Halligan: professional rugby union player for Ireland.
- Julian Halligan: British radio presenter and television comedy actor.
- Conor Halligan: Irish speedway rider and senior league champion.
- Alannah Halligan: Singer songwriter from the UK.
- Pippa Halligan: TV presenter with STV & ITV.
- Michael Halligan: Former English footballer who played professionally for Hull City and Mansfield Town amongst others.
- Jack Halligan: television writer and producer.
- David Halligan: professional English footballer who made over 170 appearances playing for teams including Everton, Stoke City, Middlesbrough, and Swansea City.
- Brian Halligan: American venture capitalist and the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of HubSpot, a software company that helps companies with inbound marketing and sales.
- Bill Halligan: Four time NCAA All-American javelin thrower while competing for the University of Michigan during the late 1970s and early 1980s.