Surname Kegan - Meaning and Origin
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Kegan: What does the surname Kegan mean?
The last name Kegan is often associated with Irish origins. It is derived from the Gaelic name “Mac Aodhagain,” which translates to “son of Aodh.” Aodh is a common Gaelic name, meaning “fire” in the ancient Irish language.
The surname Kegan is believed to have originated in the southwestern province of Munster, where it was first found in 1220. Ancient Irish clans historically used surnames to help differentiate themselves. The geographic regions, professions, and clans these surnames were associated with were all influential in how the surname Kegan spread throughout the country.
The name Kegan is also closely related to the Irish variations Kagan, Geagan, Keagan, and Keggan. Interestingly, the surname is also found in the United States, albeit in much smaller numbers. This suggests that the name was carried over by Irish immigrants during the mid-1800s, when approximately 1.5 million Irish people emigrated due to the effects of the Great Famine.
Nowadays, the Kegan surname is most predominant in Ireland, where families bearing the name can trace their ancestral roots back hundreds of years. Commonly, this surname is linked to fiery personalities, creativity, and leadership. Those bearing the Kegan name can feel proud of their Irish heritage and all that it stands for.
Order DNA origin analysisKegan: Where does the name Kegan come from?
The surname Kegan is currently most widely found in the United States and has roots tracing back to Ireland. After the potato famine of the mid-19th century, hundreds of thousands of Irish fleeing poverty and starvation immigrated to the United States in search of a new life. The surname was among them. In the decades since then, the population of those with the surname Kegan has grown in the US, particularly throughout the eastern seaboard.
In the 2000 census, more than 5,000 individuals in the US reported Kegan as their last name, with the majority of them residing in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Smaller numbers appeared in Massachusetts, Ohio, and Wisconsin. This suggests the name first spread eastwards when the Irish immigrants arrived, before spreading to other regions.
Recent analysis of the Social Security Administration names database indicates Kegan is the 3132nd most common last name among Americans today. The highest concentrations of the surname are found in western and central Pennsylvania, while it is far less common in other regions of the US.
Notably, Kegan is also relatively common in Ireland, where it is the 189th most prevalent name in the Republic of Ireland and the 706th most popular surname in Northern Ireland. The Irish variant of the surname is “O Ceagain” and its prevalence suggests the Irish emigrants of the 19th century arrived in what is now the United States with that version.
Variations of the surname Kegan
The surname Kegan is derived from the Old Gaelic personal name, ‘MacEochaidh’. This name translates to mean ‘son of (mac) Eochaidh’. The name can also originate from the Old Germanic personal name, ‘Eochaidh’, meaning ‘horseman’.
The surname Kegan is generally found in the United States of America, Canada and Ireland, although it has spread to many other countries as well. Some variants of the surname are Keagan, Keegan, Kiegan, MacKegan and MacEgan. However, there are also some other spellings and combinations of the name, which includes MacKeaghan, MacKeegan, MacKagen, MacKegan, MacKeaghan, MacKeeghan, MacGeegan and MacGaghan.
Surnames with similar origins can also be found, such as Keggen, Keggan, Keggin, Keggun, Kegoin, Kegoinne, Kegon, Keghin and Keghun. All of these are derived from the same Old Gaelic/Germanic origin.
Other surnames with similar origins include Keggan, Keggen, Keggin, Keggun, Kogin, Kegoin, Kegoinne, Kegon and Keghun. This variant is found in Ireland and Scotland, while Keggen is also found in England. All of these variations are also closely related to the original form of the surname.
Finally, some other variants of the surname include Keggans, Kegging, Keggins, Kegguns and Keginne. These surnames are all derived from the same Old Gaelic/Germanic name, ‘MacEochaidh’.
Famous people with the name Kegan
- Ryan Kegan: a former professional soccer player from the United States
- Martin Kegan: an English Premier League football player from England
- Amy Kegan: an actress and former Miss USA
- John Kegan: a former US Congressman
- Mark Kegan: an American journalist, author, and television presenter
- Richard Kegan: a 20th century English barrister
- Brian Kegan: an Irish journalist
- Tom Kegan: a former professional baseball player in America
- Margaret Kegan: a prominent 18th century Caribbean merchant
- Raymond Kegan: a 19th century English historian and Member of Parliament