Surname MacGahon - Meaning and Origin

MacGahon: What does the surname MacGahon mean?

The surname MacGahon is of Irish origin and was often anglicized as McGahan, McGaughey, or Gahan. The name is derived from the Old Gaelic name "Mac Eachain" which translates to "son of Eachan". The personal name "Eachan" itself comes from "each", meaning "a horse", and "an", a diminutive suffix; hence, the rough translation would be "son of the little horse". This might reference an ancestor known for horsemanship or possibly signifying strength, endurance, or swiftness. This surname was first found in County Monaghan, located in North-Eastern Ireland, where the MacGahon clan held a family seat from ancient times. The spelling variations of this name over time indicate different branches of the family and reflect the changing pronunciation and regional dialects. Despite the changes, the core elements of the original Gaelic name remain recognizable.

MacGahon: Where does the name MacGahon come from?

The surname MacGahon is of Irish origin. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Mac Eacháin", which means "son of Eachán", a personal name derived from each (horse) and a diminutive suffix. Thus, the name can be loosely translated to "little horse". This suggests that the holders of the surname could have been horseriders or breeders in ancient times.

While the surname is undoubtedly rooted in Ireland, over time it has probably spread globally due to emigration, common during the time of the Irish potato famine. Today, it can be found in countries where the Irish diaspora settled, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. However, it is not a particularly common surname even in these countries. In terms of density, it likely remains most common in Ireland.

Exact numbers are hard to pin down, as name distribution data is not always kept up-to-date and can depend on voluntary self-reporting. It's worth noting that the surname can be spelled in various ways including MacGahan and McGahan, which would also impact the distribution and commonality data.

Variations of the surname MacGahon

The surname MacGahon is of Irish origin. It is often spelled differently depending on the region and phonetic translations over time. Some of the most common variant spellings and related surnames include: McGahan, MacGahan, Gahan, Gaughan, and MacGeoghegan. The surnames MacGaughan and McGaughan are derivatives which also relate to the same family lineage.

The surname is believed to be derived from the Gaelic Mag Eochgain and translates to 'son of Eochgain', a personal name of uncertain origin. In some cases, the name has been Anglicized as "Oxen" due to a misguided belief that Eochgain was derived from the Gaelic word "each", meaning 'steed', and "gabhann", meaning 'of the smith'.

The names often exhibit subtle differences in spelling or pronunciation based on local dialects, lending further variety to the spellings of the name. Some less common variants may include MacCahan, MacGugan, or MacGavan. The spelling with a single “h” – McGahon – is also common. Despite these varieties, these names all originated from the same lineage and point back to the same Irish roots.

Famous people with the name MacGahon

• Eoin MacGahon: the Irish dual-code professional rugby player, currently the Head Coach of Irish club Leinster Rugby.
• Tomás MacGahon: the Irish former Fine Gael politician and barrister who served as Minister of State and Attorney-General from 1987 to 1989.
• Seán MacGahon: the Irish Fianna Fáil politician and businessman who served as Minister of State from 1988 to 1989.
• Paul McGahon: the Irish Gaelic football referee who officiated at the 2006 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final.
• Neil MacGahon: the first Husband of Labour TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and former adviser to President Mary McAleese.
• Patrick MacGahon: an Irish sole survivor of the 1845-1852 famine emigration to Canada.
• Dermot MacGahon: the first executive chef of the Westin Dublin and Tags restaurant, now owned by the Four Seasons.
• Alan MacGahon: the late Irish actor, best known for his roles in the Irish films The Dead and The General.
• Bernard MacGahon: the former Dublin hurler affiliated with the O'Toole's GAA club.
• James MacGahon: the former Irish Republican arrested in 1920 for attempting to assassinate Sir John French, then the Chief of the British Imperial General Staff.

Other surnames

MacGahanMacGahen