Surname Lorgan - Meaning and Origin
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Lorgan: What does the surname Lorgan mean?
The last name Lorgan is of Irish origin and has several different meanings depending on the family. The most common meanings are derived from the phrase Ó Lorcáin which means "descendant of Lorcain" or "belonging to the descendant of Lorcain." Lorcain, or Lorcan, was an old Gaelic personal name derived from the word "lorg" which means "little spear." In other families, Lorgan may be an anglicized version of the Gaelic name Mac Cu Lornain which means "son of the valiant one." The name Lorgan could also come from the old Norse words "lorg" and "Ohrn" which mean "ship's horn."
The Lorgan surname can still be found in many parts of Ireland today, and those who bear the name often take great pride in their ancestry and heritage. In some cases, the Lorgan family may be descended from nobility, although there is no single documented source for this.
Whether the family name is derived from the Gaelic or Norse languages, the Lorgan name carries a rich legacy of strength and courage. In today's world, those with this surname tend to possess a strong sense of identity and belonging and often have strong roots in their Irish heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisLorgan: Where does the name Lorgan come from?
The last name Lorgan is most commonly found in countries in northwestern Europe, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, and France. More specifically, Lorgan is one of the most common names in northern Ireland. It has also been found in Spain, Germany, and the United States.
In the United States, the last name Lorgan has been traced as far back as the mid-1800s, with the earliest occurrences found in Pennsylvania and Ohio. It is also commonly found in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. The highest concentration of the name is found in the largest cities, such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.
In the United Kingdom, the last name appears to have originated in the eastern and northern regions of Scotland. It is most frequently found in Lancashire and London. There is also a concentration of Lorgan’s in Bedfordshire.
In France, the last name Lorgan is particularly common in the Hauts-de-Seine, Meurthe-et-Moselle, and Eure-et-Loir départements. In the southern regions of France, it is also found in Lozère, Ardèche, and Bouches-du-Rhône.
In Ireland, the most prominent occurrences of the last name are in the counties of Dublin, Cork and Westmeath.
Given its geographical distribution, it is likely that the surname Lorgan had multiple points of origin in Europe and was brought to the United States by multiple waves of immigrants.
Variations of the surname Lorgan
The surname Lorgan is of Irish origin and is believed to be an Anglicized form of the original Gaelic O’Lorgain. It is a patronymic name derived from the Gaelic personal name Lorgain, which is thought to derive from the Old Norse term Lógr which means ‘sea’. O’Lorgan is the most common spelling of this surname and other variants of the same origin include Lorgen and Lurgan.
At the time of the British census of 1881, the predominant spelling was recorded as O’Lorgan and variations on that spelling accounted for nearly 54% of the population with the name in England. In Scotland, the most common variations were found to be Lorgan and Lurgan, accounting for more than one-third of the population with the surname.
Variations of Lorgan in other parts of the world include Lorgane, Orgán, Lorganne, Logan and Loggan. Other surnames that derived from this name include Logan, Laughlin, Lawlor, Lorgy, Lurgain, Lurgy, Lurgen, McLorgen, McLorgon and O’Laughlan.
Despite different spellings, these surnames all originate from the same place and time period, and anyone with one of these names can trace their roots back to the same Irish O’Lorgan family.
Famous people with the name Lorgan
- Catherine Lorgan: Canadian television producer
- Ral Lorgan: former Major League Baseball player
- D. Déborah Lorgan: Dominican actress, singer and renowned beauty queen
- Paul Lorgan: Canadian military personnel and decorated veteran of three wars
- David Lorgan: Canadian ice hockey player
- Michael Lorgan: American production company executive
- Barrington Lorgan: Canadian actor and film producer
- William Lorgan: American schoolteacher who invented the word "pectograph"
- Alastair Lorgan: Australian race car driver
- Kellie Lorgan: Australian artist and illustrator