Surname Hollahan - Meaning and Origin

Hollahan: What does the surname Hollahan mean?

The last name Hollahan is from an Irish origin, meaning “descendant of the dark foreigner or stranger”. It is derived from the Old Gaelic name O' Faoláin, which is made up of two elements - "O" (descendant of) and "Faoláin" (dark).

It is a very old name which was found in Ireland, originating in County Mayo, back to the 11th century. During the 16th and 17th centuries, Irish names were anglicized slightly as immigrants moved out of the country or set off to distant lands. This name was found mainly in Australia, and was often prefixed with the ‘O’ or ‘Mc’.

Hollahan is an old Irish surname, generally associated with the O' Faoláin family, who were of noble standing in old Irish society. The O' Faoláin were part of the 'Ui Bairrche' clan, a powerful ruling dynasty in Ireland in the 12th century. Despite being aristocrats, the O' Faoláin family was also renowned for its military prowess and often saw many of its members go off to join the ranks of the national army or oppose other clans that posed a threat to their prosperity.

The Hollahan family was divided into two distinct branches - the south branch, which was found mainly in County Galway and the north branch, which was in County Monaghan. members of the north branch often migrated to England whereas members of the south branch are found both in and outside of Ireland.

Today, the name Hollahan is still mainly found in Ireland and it is likely to remain so for many years to come. It is a name that is associated with the old Irish aristocracy and denotes strength, courage and loyalty.

Hollahan: Where does the name Hollahan come from?

The last name Hollahan is most commonly found in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and Canada.

In the United States, for example, the name appears as a variant of Hollahan, Hollohan, and Hollihan in Pennsylvania, particularly among the Irish. In the UK, the name is usually associated with Scottish and Irish ancestry. In Ireland, it is a variant of the Irish surname O hIollagáin, which is used in both Irish-speaking areas, particularly in County Galway, and anglicised regions even today.

In Australia, the name appears among ex-pats of Irish and Scottish heritage from as far back as the 18th century. It was not uncommon for families of Irish-Australian descent to have the surname, especially in the major cities of New South Wales and Victoria.

In Canada, the name is most often associated with Irish and Scottish-Canadian families. It can be found among families of various Irish backgrounds throughout the Maritime Provinces, as well as in Ontario and Quebec.

The last name Hollahan is still found in many parts of the world today, though it is most commonly linked to Irish, Scottish, and some English heritage. With the Irish diaspora having spread across the world, it stands to reason that this name is still found among many families all these years later.

Variations of the surname Hollahan

The surname Hollahan is a variant of the Irish O'hUallachain, which means 'descendants of the proud one'. It is commonly rendered in English as Hollahan, Hollaham, O'Hallahan, O'Hallaham, O'Hollahan and O'Hollahan. It is derived from Uallachain, which was the name of a chieftain of Ui Maine, which included parts of Galway and Roscommon counties in Ireland.

Variations of the surname include Hallinan, Hollighan, O'Hollighan, O'Hallahan, O'Hallighan, Hollahan, O'Hollahan, Hallaughan, Hallihan, and O'Halliham.

It was in County Galway, Ireland, where the largest numbers of Hallahan and variations of the surname were found. However, this surname also occurs in County Mayo.

In the 1870s, the surname Hallahan was most common in Galway county where 8 per cent of the population had it as their surname. In Mayo county, the surname was found in the townlands of Killavally and Ballyhaunis.

In America, the Hallahan spelling became most common. It is likely that, while some of the immigrants to the US had changed to the Hallahan spelling by choice and others dropped the traditional O' prefix before their surname.

In England, the Holligan spelling is most common. The original Irish pronunciation of Halligan has dropped the "h" and is spoken as "Olligan".

It is also possible that the two spellings, Hollighan and Hallihan may be related to some of the other variants of the name. The Hallihan spelling is common in County Mayo, and the Hollighan spelling is common in County Galway.

Famous people with the name Hollahan

• John Hollahan III: an American film and television writer/producer, best known for his work on the drama series The West Wing.
• Steve Hollahan: an American public relations professional and the chief executive of Hollahan Communications Group.
• Dr. Philana Hollahan: a paediatrician and maternal health specialist based in New York City.
• Mike Hollahan: an American television and film producer and director.
• Paul Hollahan: a visual artist and curator based in Washington DC. 6.Matthew Hollahan: a digital entrepreneur and the founder of Clokers.com, an online poker site.
• Kelly Hollahan: a Canadian film and television actress.
• Charles Hollahan: an American theatre director and former Artistic Director of the Elgin Theatre Company and founder of the Music National Theatre Company in Chicago.
• Jonathan Hollahan: an American actor and guitarist, best known for his roles in television and film, such as Half-Life, Lost in Outer Space, and Bad Batch.
• Devon Hollahan: an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from the Pacific Northwest.

Other surnames

Hollah