Surname Noonan - Meaning and Origin
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Uncovering the Rich Tapestry of Noonan Heritage through iGENEA's DNA Analysis
Venturing into the world of genealogy with iGENEA's DNA test helped me uncover my family name Noonan's profound Irish roots. The findings expanded my knowledge about the history of the Noonans, revealing their migration, roles in society, and a touching interpretation of my surname.
V. Noonan
read moreNoonan: What does the surname Noonan mean?
The last name Noonan is an Irish surname of Gaelic origin. It is derived from the ancient Gaelic word "O'Nuadha," which can be translated to mean "Champion." This name was likely given to individuals who were heroic and brave in battle, and in some areas still is.
The Noonan family name originated in the Munster region of Ireland, and became widely dispersed in the 18th century across both Ireland and America. In more modern times, the surname is spread throughout Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States.
Noonan is found in a variety of spellings, including Noonan, Nunez, Nunan, O'Nuadha, Nounan, Nounon, and Nuonin. The Noonan coat of arms is green with a gold border, and it displays three gold leopards between three silver crosses.
In both Irish and Celtic culture, the name Noonan is associated with good luck and fortune. It is said to bring success and prosperity to those who bear it. It is an extremely strong and proud name, and is typically associated with bravery, leadership, and resilience.
Order DNA origin analysisNoonan: Where does the name Noonan come from?
The last name Noonan is most commonly found in Ireland. It comes from the Irish Ó Nuanáin, meaning ‘grandson of a champion’. It is among the hundred most common surnames in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Outside of Ireland, the last name Noonan is most common in the United States, particularly in New York and Pennsylvania. It is also found in England and Australia. According to censuses, the number of Americans with this surname has been steadily rising over the last few decades.
Noonan is an anglicised variant of the Irish name, so it is most often found in families of Irish descent or those who have assimilated recently from Ireland. It is particularly prevalent in areas of the U.S. with a large Irish-American population, such as the eastern seaboard and major cities like Boston.
It is also found in Britain, where it ranks as the 856th most common name, primarily in Merseyside, North West England. In Australia, it ranks as the 797th most common last name. Furthermore, a large influx of Irish immigrants during the 19th century also saw an increase in this surname in Australia.
Variations of the surname Noonan
The surname Noonan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic surname Ó Nunáin. Variations of the surname include Nunan, Nunane, Nunna, Nunane, Nunaha, Numaan, Nuinan, Nunez, and Nuñez. Spellings include Nunan, Nunain, Nunez, Nuneah, Nuneha, Nuneham, Nunehim, Nunehn, Nunhaan, Nunnh, Nuuin, Noonen, Noonin, Noonan, and Noone.
Variations of the surname are prominent in Ireland, with some bearers of the surname having emigrated during the Irish diaspora in the 17th and 18th centuries. The name may be found in other countries from people who left Ireland or others who were descended from immigrants from the Emerald Isle. It is also a common name in the United States and in Australia and New Zealand, likely indicating those of Irish descent.
The Noonan line may also be found in England and Scotland, where anglicized versions of the Gaelic spelling are found in some records. In these instances, the variations Noonan, Nunan, Nuñez, and Nunez would appear. Variations between countries may indicate those who have taken other nations' surnames, those who have adopted another culture's version of the same name, or those who have simply changed the spelling in order to fit the phonetics of their host country.
In addition, some may have adopted the surname through marriage or by the adoption of the correct surname for a child. All of these variants are interchangeable and may be in evidence in different cultures where the people of Irish descent have made a home.
Famous people with the name Noonan
- Maureen Noonan: Maureen Noonan is an American actress and voice over artist, known for roles including the Good Witch of the South in ones Hallmark Channel movie adaptations of L. Frank Baum's series of Oz books, as Carol in the 1980s television series Private Benjamin and as an announcer or narrator on such projects like the mini-series The Stand and the TV series Dinotopia.
- Margaret Noonan: Margaret Noonan was an Irish-Americans politician and feminist. She became the chief of staff for former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis and his 1988 presidential campaign, helping to make him the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the majority of women voters in a single election.
- Ted Noonan: Ted Noonan is a former Australian rules footballer with the Sydney Swans and South Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League. He was named an All-Australian twice consecutively and was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2003.
- Eugene Noonan: Eugene Noonan is the former chairman and CEO of the Royal Bank of Scotland. He was appointed Chief Executive in 1999 and stepped down from his role in 2005, where there were widespread calls for his resignation due to the bank's financials and its inadequate corporate governance practices
- Brian P. Noonan: Brian Patrick Noonan is an American politician. He was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly from Wisconsin's 38th Assembly District from 1993 to 2000.
- Amelita Galang Noonan: Amelita Galang Noonan is a retired feminist and nurse who was active in the women's movement in the 1970s and 1980s. She was a cofounder of the National Women's Health Network and was a major impetus behind the creation of the International Women's Health Coalition. She is also a published author and lecturer.