Surname Deegan - Meaning and Origin
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Deegan: What does the surname Deegan mean?
The last name Deegan is an Irish surname originating from County Meath in Ireland. The surname is derived from the Irish name Ó Doignéin, which is a patronymic name form of Doigné, a personal name meaning "harmless". The name can also originate from the more common Anglicized surname, Mac Egan, which originated from the Gaelic name Mac Aodhagáin. This was the name of a sept of the Corca Laoidhe, based in County Kerry, which was a major force in southwestern Irish politics.
The surname Deegan is found in many parts of Ireland, such as Dublin, County Cork, and County Limerick, but is especially common in County Meath. The surname also spread to other countries as Irish people immigrated due to poverty and political unrest. It is particularly common in England, Scotland, and America, as a result of the Irish diaspora during the 19th century.
Overall, the last name Deegan has Irish and Gaelic roots, and originally has its roots in the patronymic name of Doigné. It is most common in Ireland but has spread to many other countries as a result of the Irish diaspora throughout the 19th century.
Order DNA origin analysisDeegan: Where does the name Deegan come from?
The last name Deegan is most common in Ireland, but is also found in other parts of the world. It is particularly prevalent in the Irish diaspora population - with families who have moved to places such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and more recently in the United Kingdom.
In Ireland, Deegan has origins in the Gaelic patronymic system of naming. The last name development is of Irish origin and descended from the early inhabitants of Western Ireland. It emerged during the 11th century as the system of Gaelic personal-named clan territories developed in that area of the country. The patronymic system took the father or grandfather's given name, and the suffix of ' gen', which meant 'born of' and it was translated into English as 'son of'.
In recent years, Deegan has been a particularly popular name amongst the Irish-American community. The 2000 US Census showed that over 10,000 individuals in the United States carried that last name, primarily in major metropolitan cities such as New York and Boston.
Further afield, Deegan has since spread often by Irish emigrants. In countries such as New Zealand, Canada, and Australia, Deegans are now in significant numbers. The last name is also becoming more popular in the United Kingdom. The UK Office for National Statistics' 2011 Census indicates over 2,300 people taking the surname Deegan.
Therefore, the last name Deegan is found all over the world and is quite common in many areas. It has gone through many years of international migration and has become a recognizable surname in most major countries.
Variations of the surname Deegan
The surname Deegan is of Irish and Gaelic origin, stemming from the Irish Gaelic 'Ó Dúgáin'. It's variants, spellings and other related surnames include O'Degan, O'Deegan, O'Deegen, O'Deeggan, O'Degen, Deegan, Deegan, Deegen, Deggen, Deagen, Deaggan and Deegin.
In Irish surnames, the prefix “O” denotes “grandson of” or “descendant of”. The prefix was normally dropped when an individual immigrated. This is why many spelling variations exist today.
In the 1800s, many immigrants from Ireland to the United States adopted O’ precedents to their names when they arrived. As a result, the spelling variations of Deegan began to include O’Deegan and O’Deegen.
The Irish version of the name is pronouned with a soft “g”, such as “deg-en”, whilst the American version is pronounced with a hard “g”, as “deeg-en.”
The name Deegan is connected to several regions of Ireland, the northern county of Fermanagh and the Irish Midlands are where it is most commonly found. In addition, the southern county of Clare is known to be home to a number of Deegan families.
The name is also found in other countries, including Scotland and England. In Scotland it can be found as Deegan, Deegen and Deggen. In England it is most commonly found as Deagen, Deaggan and Deegin.
Today, Deegan is a fairly common surname in the United States and other English-speaking countries. It is particularly popular in Australia.
Famous people with the name Deegan
- Morgan Deegan: an American activist and author.
- Shane Deegan: an Irish footballer
- Coree Deegan: a professional motocross racer.
- John Deegan: an Irish hurler and Olympic athlete.
- Siobhan Deegan: an Irish camogie player.
- Deegan Mroe: an American Youtuber and influencer.
- Jessica Deegan: an Australian diver.
- Ryan Deegan: an Irish footballer.
- Ryan Deegan: AN Australian-born acoustic pop artist.
- Asa Deegan: an American motorcyclist.
- Mike Deegan: a British professional squash player.
- James Deegan: an Irish hurler and former rugby union player.
- Bob Deegan: an Australian actor.
- William Deegan: an American political scientist and former diplomat.
- Danny Deegan: an English professional footballer.