Surname Leyhane - Meaning and Origin
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Leyhane: What does the surname Leyhane mean?
The last name Leyhane is of Irish and Scottish origin and is found mainly in Ulster. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name O'Liathain or Laoighan, which likely stemmed from the Old Norse personal name Ljot.
The original Laoighan was likely a Norse leader who settled in Scotland in the late 11th century. The clan’s progenitor, Cennétig Mac Liatháin, is believed to have been the original Laoighan who lived in Scotland in the 13th century. The clan then moved to Ireland during Ireland’s unrest in the 1300s.
The name Leyhane is derived from the Gaelic word leathadh, which means “half”, referring to the splitting of an ancient clan into two lineages. The Leyhanes spread across Munster and Connacht, where they lived in ancestral homesteads. The family spread out farther to Galway and Athlone.
The spelling of the last name may have changed over time; variations of the spelling of the name include Lahan, Laheen, Lihane, Leahane, Leyhane, and Layhane. These variants of the last name have remained fairly popular in Ulster throughout the years and are still common today.
Order DNA origin analysisLeyhane: Where does the name Leyhane come from?
The last name Leyhane can be found throughout the world. The beginnings of the Leyhane name can be traced back to England over 1000 years ago. The Leyhane name remains most common in the United Kingdom and in Ireland, with thousands of Leyhanes living in each country. There is also a strong presence of the Leyhane name in the United States. In 2019, the largest concentrations of people with the Leyhane name in the US were in California, New Jersey, Florida, and Massachusetts. Beyond the US and UK, Leyhane is also frequently found in Canada, Australia, and South Africa, especially in areas with large Irish and/or British immigrant populations. Additionally, small pockets of the Leyhane name are scattered in various other countries, most notably in South America, particularly Argentina. No matter where one may be, there is a good chance of encountering another Leyhane family in some corner of the world.
Variations of the surname Leyhane
The surname Leyhane is an uncommon spelling of an Anglicised Irish surname, variously spelt Leahy, O'Léihi, Lehane, Lihane, O'Luhane, O'Leyhane, or O'Lehane. It derives from the Irish O'Leathlobhair, ultimately from the Old Irish personal name Laídlebor meaning "one who speaks for the people or a warrior who defends his homeland". It was originally a hereditary name for a dynasty of Munster poets, who carried this name into the neighbouring Annals of Clonmacnoise in County Offaly, with a poet of this name identified in 1210.
The Irish Gaelic form of this surname is either O'Leathlobhair or O'Leihi. The English versions, Leahy and Lehane, are considered to be more widespread than the originals, though O'Leihi is more commonly found in the county of Cork.
Variations of this surname include Lihane, Leyhane, O'Léihi, Ouhane, O'Luhane, and O'Leyhane. In some cases, the spelling 'O'Lehane' is also found, particularly in the county of Limerick.
The surname most commonly occurs in Ireland, but is also found with some frequency in the United Kingdom and Australia. It is also present in small numbers in the USA, Canada, Argentina and New Zealand.
Famous people with the name Leyhane
- J.E.H. de Leyhane, a 19th-century Belgian-born Dutch diplomat and historian
- Reader Leyhane, an 18th-century British organist
- Luke Leyhane, an Irish Gaelic footballer
- Maureen Leyhane, an American-born, British-based theatre producer
- Fred Leyhane, an English football player
- Tom Leyhane, an Irish musician in the band AYU
- Mary Ann Leyhane, an Australian dress designer
- Eddie Leyhane, a former New Zealand rugby league player
- Polly Leyhane, a Canadian dressage rider
- Dick Leyhane, an American wrestler active in the 1940s.