Surname Owan - Meaning and Origin

Owan: What does the surname Owan mean?

The last name Owan originated in Lancashire, England, during the early 17th century. It is derived from the Old English word “eo” which means an area of a boggy marsh, suggesting a place of the same name.

The family name first appeared in records in 1659 with Robert Uan, who was a citizen of West Handley in Lancashire at the time. Over the years, the spelling of the name varied from Oaen, Oan, Oen, Uan and Uean.

The Owan family is an ancient Lancashire family that traces its ancestry back to the time of the Norman Conquest and the 11th century. The name is associated with several locations in the region, including Uawn, Uawntree, Oane and Ohone Ferry. These places likely came to be named after the Owan family and its members.

In Irish, the name Owan is derived from the Gaelic O'Uan, meaning “descendant of Uan” or, more precisely, “son of Uan”. According to legend, the Owan family descended from a Norse–Gaelic ancestor, Uan mac Boa, who lived sometime in the 9th century.

Today, the Owan family is spread throughout the world. Members of the family can be found in England, Ireland, the United States, Canada, South America and Australia.

Owan: Where does the name Owan come from?

The Owan surname is most commonly found among people of African descent, particularly in West African countries such as Nigeria. In Nigeria, the name is widespread, and it is one of the most popular surnames in the country. It is believed to have originated from the Owan people, an ethnic group in Nigeria who were once warriors. Today, many members of the Owan family have moved far away from their homeland and now reside in other parts of the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

In the United States, people with the surname Owan are found in states across the country, especially in areas with high African American populations. According to the most recent census data, between 2000 and 2019, the number of U.S. residents with the surname Owan has increased by over 90%.

The Owan surname is also present in the Caribbean, particularly in Jamaica, where it is sometimes spelled “Owan” or “Owans”. The surname is also found in other West African countries, such as Ghana and Togo.

Owan is a strong ancestral name, deeply rooted in African culture and history. It has been passed down through generations and has endured despite the diaspora experienced by many members of the Owan tribe.

Variations of the surname Owan

The surname Owan is derived from the Gaelic surname Ó hUanacháin, meaning ‘descendant of hUanachán.’ Several variants of the surname exist, including O’Owan, O’Owne, O’Wane, and Owne.

In Scotland, Owan can also be seen as the Anglicized version of MacEuan which is the anglicised form of MacEoghain, which means the ‘son of Eoghain.' This variant is also seen as MacEwen, MacEwan and McEwan.

Other variant spellings of Owan/O’wan include O’Wayne, O’Weyne, Owen, Oven, Owans, Owenson, Owns, Ownsby, Owings, Ownbey, Ownby, and O’Wens.

The surnames related to Owan are also derived from different geographical origins. In England, the surname ‘Owan’ is derived from the Old English and Old Danish ‘Owen,’ meaning ‘son of Ewing.’ While in Germany, the surname ‘Owen’ is derived from the Old German ‘Owein’ or ‘Owin,’ and the Spanish, ‘Ewin.’

The Welsh forms of the surname Owan are ‘Evans’ or ‘MacEvans,’ from the Welsh ‘Ifan’ meaning ‘son of Evan.’

Surnames associated with Owan include Ó hUanacháin, MacEoghain, MacEuan, MacEwen, McEwan, Mac Coewen, Ewing, Owings, Owen, Owns, Ownsby, Ownbey, Ownby, and O’Wens.

Overall, while the spelling of the surname Owan is largely unmodified, its variants offer a multitude of forms in multiple languages, which were used in the past to indicate different geographical origins.

Famous people with the name Owan

• Omar Owan: Omar is a former professional football player from Cameroon who has played for clubs in Switzerland and Germany.
• Arnim Owan: He is an American musician best known for his work as a producer on hits such as “Umbrella” by Rihanna and “Love Lockdown” by Kanye West.
• Muhammed Owan: Muhammed is a Nigerian entrepreneur and philanthropist who established the United Africa Initiative (UAI) in 2012, which focuses on providing education, healthcare and social welfare in Nigerian communities.
• Kate Owan: Kate is a British businesswoman and entrepreneur who founded the recruitment company Zinzino in 2014. She has since been featured in Forbes magazine as one of the most influential women in Europe.
• Brenda Owan: Brenda is an American actress who has performed in movies such as “Battleship” and “The Grandmasters”.
• Lawrence Owan: Lawrence is a Ghanaian-born doctor based in the UK who founded the charity Health手 which works to improve healthcare in the country.
• Tunde Owan: Tunde is a Nigerian film producer who has produced movies such as the critically acclaimed “ Juice” and “The Visit”.
• David Owan: David is an American reality TV personality and owner of the sports apparel company Owan-Line. He has been featured on the show “Sportsball” and was a contestant on the first season of “The Apprentice”.

Other surnames

Owain