Surname Koehane - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'K'
Koehane: What does the surname Koehane mean?
Koehane is a surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "O Cathain." The O Cathain clan was a powerful Irish royal family from the 12th to the 17th century. The name itself has several possible meanings. "Cathain" is composed of two elements: "cath" meaning battle and "an" which is a diminutive suffix, thus can be interpreted as "little battler" or "young warrior." Some sources suggest it may also mean "descendant of Cahan," where Cahan means "warrior" in Gaelic. Final interpretation of the name can vary based on regional dialects and historical context. It's important to note that in modern times, the name is usually spelled as either "Kane" or "Keane" due to English phonetic transliteration.
Order DNA origin analysisKoehane: Where does the name Koehane come from?
The surname Koehane appears to have Irish origins. However, it is an anglicized version of the Gaelic name "Ó Céacháin" or "Ó Catháin" which translates to "descendant of Céachán" in English. The specific meaning of "Céachán" is not entirely clear but one interpretation suggests it means "little blind one." Originating from Ireland, this name is commonly associated with the regions of North Munster and County Clare.
Today, the spelling "Koehane" is not very common even in Ireland, partly because many native Irish names were changed or simplified under British rule. The name may have evolved into, or be related to, more common names like Keane or Kane. Due to historical migrations, especially during the Great Famine in the mid-19th century, Irish surnames can be found in many parts of the world, particularly in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Variations of the surname Koehane
The surname Koehane appears to have some substantial relationship with Irish surnames, possibly derived from the Gaelic surname "Ó Céin". Variants and spellings of this surname may include Keane, Kane, Coen, Cohen, O'Kane, O'Keane, O'Cahan and Kean.
This is based on the understanding that letters "k" and "c" can be used interchangeably, while "h" in the Irish Gaelic language can denote the aspirated form of "c" or "k", resulting in a "k" or "h" sound. Thus names spelled with a K or C and followed by an H may have originated from the same source.
The surname Koehane may also have been transliterated, resulting in different spellings as people moved to countries with different languages and alphabets, such as the United States or Germany.
Finally, in some cases, surname "Koehane" might be misspelled due to a typographical error, where the surname might actually be "Coehane," "Goehane," "Kohane," or "Koehan."
Please note that this information is quite speculative. The only sure way to know the variations and origins of a name is through genealogical research.
Famous people with the name Koehane
- Christine Koehane, mayor of Pembroke Pines, Florida
- Thomas Koehane, American art historian
- William Koehane, American football player
- Tacc Koehane, Thai singer
- Hedy Koehane, American painter
- Blane Koehane, CEO of Chooka boots
- Spud Koehane, former NFL wide receiver
- Paun Koehane, Croatian footballer
- Frank Koehane, German film and television director
- Max Koehane, American radio talk show host