Surname MacKeohan - Meaning and Origin

MacKeohan: What does the surname MacKeohan mean?

The surname MacKeohan is of Irish origin and is not commonly used; hence, specific meaning related to this surname is not readily available. However, within the Irish naming tradition, "Mac" means "son of," and is often followed by an ancestor's personal name or a descriptor of an ancestor.

Names carrying the "Mac" prefix often originated as patronymics, marking a person as the descendant of a father or ancestor. Though specific details about the name 'Keohan' are scanty, it may possibly be derived from the Gaelic personal name 'Eoghan' which means 'Born of the Yew', or 'Yew-warrior'. So, in this sense, 'MacKeohan' might be roughly interpreted as 'Son of Eoghan'.

It's important to note that true meanings and historical details about surnames can often be lost over time due to changes in language, migration, and other social, cultural or political changes. Thus, this interpretation carries a degree of uncertainty.

MacKeohan: Where does the name MacKeohan come from?

The last name MacKeohan is of Irish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Eoghain" which means "son of Eoghan". The name Eoghan is considered to come from an old Celtic word meaning "born of the yew (tree)", therefore, MacKeohan can be interpreted as "descendant of the yew-born". The name has several variations including MacKeon, MacKewan, MacEwan, and MacEwen, among others.

Today, the name is more commonly found in places that experienced significant Irish immigration throughout history, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. In Ireland itself, it is associated with several areas including Tyrone, Donegal, and Derry, which are counties in the North of the country. However, like many other Irish surnames, the spread of the MacKeohan name is quite dispersed due to emigration, especially during the times of the Irish Potato Famine in the 19th century.

Variations of the surname MacKeohan

The surname MacKeohan is of Irish origin and has different variants, spellings, and surnames that come from the same root. Variants of this surname include McKeon, MacEoin, MacKeon and McKeone.

It originally comes from the Gaelic Mac Eoghain, meaning 'son of Eoghan' or Mac Eoin, meaning 'son of John.' Consequently, other surnames that derive from this root include MacEwen, MacEwan, and MacOwen.

Spelling variations are common due to different techniques of anglicizing Gaelic names and the many dialects of Irish. For example, MacKeohan may also be found as MacKeown, MacKewan, MacKoun, MacWain, and others.

The surname has also historically been anglicized as Johnson or Johnstone, reflecting the meaning of the original Gaelic Mac Eoin. Similarly, Owens and McKeown can be considered surnames of the same origin due to their roots in 'Eoghan'.

Bear in mind that surname spelling can also be influenced by regional accents and how census takers, clerks, or other officials recorded the name. As such, different family branches may use different spelling variations today.

Famous people with the name MacKeohan

• Mollie MacKeohan, American actress
• Ann MacKeohan, American sculptor
• Arthur MacKeohan, Australian-born British film director and producer
• Josh MacKeohan, American basketball coach
• Paul MacKeohan, Irish former professional footballer
• Louis MacKeohan, American-born Irish footballer
• David MacKeohan, American professional soccer player
• Pat MacKeohan, American professional basketball player
• Sloan MacKeohan, Irish contemporary artist
• David MacKeohan, retired Canadian ice hockey player
• Sean MacKeohan, medical engineer and lecturer
• James MacKeohan, Canadian musician
• Darryl MacKeohan, Canadian fashion designer
• Liam MacKeohan, Australian rower
• Tadhg MacKeohan, retired Irish-American basketball player
• Layla MacKeohan, Irish professional actress
• Seumas MacKeohan, Irish musician, songwriter and producer
• Aidan MacKeohan, Irish professional poker player
• Colin MacKeohan, Canadian-American psychologist
• John MacKeohan, Irish former professional football player

Other surnames

MacKeohane