Surname Dorgan - Meaning and Origin
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Dorgan: What does the surname Dorgan mean?
The surname Dorgan is an Irish surname, which is ultimately an Anglicised form of the Gaelic surname “O Duirgáin” derived from the old Gaelic personal name “Duirgáin”. This Gaelic name generally translates to “son of Durcan”, where Durcan is an Anglicised form of the Welsh name Dwrgwyn, which was derived from the Welsh elements "dwrg” meaning “dim” or “small” and “gwyn”, meaning “white” or “fair”.
The Dorgan surname appears to have originated in the Province of Connacht in western Ireland. Traditionally the surname was associated with families from the area of Ireland that was once known as County Galway. As of the mid-1800's, there were up to two hundred and fifty people with the family name living in County Galway. The name had become so widespread that it spread to the neighboring counties of Mayo, Sligo, and Roscommon. It is also found in the counties of Clare, Kerry, Limerick, and Dublin.
Today, the Dorgan surname is widespread across Ireland and is found in many other countries around the world, due to the fact that it has been adopted by many Irish emigrants who settled in foreign countries such as Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
In summary, the surname Dorgan is an Irish name derived from the Gaelic personal name “Duirgáin” meaning “son of Durcan”, a Welsh name meaning “dim” or “small” and “white” or “fair”. The original families with the name were found in the Province of Connacht in western Ireland, particularly in the county of Galway, and it has since spread across many countries surrounding Ireland through emigration.
Order DNA origin analysisDorgan: Where does the name Dorgan come from?
The last name Dorgan is most commonly found around Ireland, specifically in counties Dublin, Cork, and Limerick. It is also found in great frequency in the United States as immigrants from Ireland settled primarily in regions such as New England, New York, and Pennsylvania. This name can also be found in other regions across the world, such as Canada and the United Kingdom.
Within the United States, the most frequently encountered frequency is in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California and New Jersey. There are currently over 10,000 Dorgans living in the US, with nearly 4,000 in New York alone. In Ireland, the density of the Dorgan surname is primarily in Cork. This surname is also found in other parts of Europe, such as Scotland and Germany, with smaller frequencies.
Due to its Celtic origin, Dorgan is a rare surname and is not very widely distributed. It has steadily grown in popularity since the 1800s, particularly in the US, and its frequency and numbers are steadily increasing. This may be due to the fact that there are many variations of this surname: Dorgin, Dorgane, Dorgen, Dargan, Dergan, Dargin, Dargon, and Dergans, to name a few.
Variations of the surname Dorgan
Dorgan is a surname of Irish origin, originally derived from the Gaelic Ó Deoradháin. Variants include Doran, Daregan, Dorgin, Deorigan, Dorgan, Dorgane, Dorganne, O'Dorigan, and Dorigen.
The name may also be an English variant of the German Durgin, which is derived from the Old High German durgan or durganon (meaning “defence” or “protection”). Depending on the region, spellings may also include Durgan, Durgin, Dorgin, Durgano, Durrant, Dourrant, Durrante, and more.
The surname has many variations in other countries as well. In Scotland, variants are found as Daragan, Dargan, Dergan, Dergon, and Derrick, while the Spanish may spell the name as Dorrigan or Dorrigane. In Poland it may be spelled as Dargin, and the surname has also been found in France, Portugal, Slovakia, Hungary, and even Russia.
The surname has seen many changes in spelling over time, which has led to a variety of spellings and variant forms. In addition to those outlined above, some other derivatives include Darjean, Derjean, O'Derrigane, Deorigen, Deoring, Derigein, Dorigen, and more.
Famous people with the name Dorgan
- Senator Byron Dorgan: former Senator from North Dakota, also served in the United States House of Representatives (1992–2011).
- Dennis Dorgan: former American professional baseball pitcher who played one season in the National League for the Cleveland Spiders.
- Joe Dorgan: president of the United States Chess Federation and FIDE International Master.
- Peter W. Dorgan: noted film producer and director, best known for producing CW television series “Riverdale”.
- Mike Dorgan: prominent Canadian-American ice hockey coach and executive, best known for being the head coach of the Canadian Men’s National Ice Hockey team in 2001.
- Kathy Dorgan: film producer and editing, best known for her work in the music documentaries “Turn It Around” (2014) and “Backstage Pass” (2014).
- David Dorgan: former Dublin footballer, best known for his performance in the 1998 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship against Offaly.
- Kristen Dorgan: Canadian race car driver, best known for winning the Pro Mazda Championship Series in 2000.
- J. Thomas Dorgan: award-winning political cartoonist and writer, best known for his work in the New York Journal American and New York Times.
- England Dorgan: former United States Navy sailor, best known for his service in the Vietnam War.