Unable to bridge the gap between Ireland and the United States, Rick created this website in order to "gather all Fagans who may be searching for their roots". ClanFagan was born October 18, 2004, and has grown from its humble beginnings to over 100 members worldwide.
So who exactly are the Fagans (Feagans, Fagins, etc.)? It seems that research shows that we might possibly come from different origins as explained below:
Source of the name:
According to Edward MacLysaght1,
Fagans. Were we Normans, O'Hagans or our own clan? Were we 'King-makers', owners of castles, mayors of Dublin, and clergy? Various sources suggest that the name is:Fagan Usually of Norman origin in Dublin and Meath. Sometimes Ó Faodhagáin in Co. Louth which, however, is there usually anglicized Fegan. Dr. John Ryan and other scholars regard this as an Oriel sept distinct from O'Hagan, with which Woulfe equates it.
- an Anglicized version of Ó Faodhagáin;
- of Norman origin;
- O'Faoghagain is a variant of O'hAodhagan (O'Hagan)
- derived from a Patrick O'Hagan who changed his name to Fagan (circa 1180).
The Ó Faodhagáin theory:
Many "Last Name" sites indicates that Fagan is an Anglicized version of Ó Faodhagáin from E. Airgialla (the ancient territory of Oriel). According to an Irish information website called GoIreland.com2, "it is true, a Gaelic Irish family of O Faodhagain, anglicized Fagan, which belongs to Co. Louth." ...[some scholars concur with] "a statement made by Fr. Woulfe that O Faoghagain is a variant of O hAodhagan (O'Hagan) and other scholars disagree. They say it is a distinct sept of eastern Airghialla (Oriel). There Fagan, Fegan, Feighan and Feehan are numerous and much confused; probably these all derive from O'Faodhagain."
The Norman Origin theory:
Many "Last Name" sites as well as O'Laughlin3 indicate that the name may be of Norman origin. There are several sources that point to Fagans as being in the first wave of Norman settlers. The Norman Fagans, according to sources, were mainly in Dublin & Meath. Much of the information I have been able to find on the Fagans is from the Dublin area.
Again, from GoIreland.com2, "In spite of its very Irish appearance (gan is one of the most common terminations of Irish surnames) Fagan must be regarded as a family name of Norman origin. At the same time it must be pointed out that it is not an English name. It is derived from the Latin word paganus. For many centuries it has been associated with Counties Dublin and Meath. As early as the year 1200 one William Fagan was the owner of extensive house property in the city of Dublin and fifty years later we find the family firmly established in the neighbouring counties with a seat, acquired a little later, at Feltrim, Co. Dublin. A branch of this family was also found in Kerry and another in Cork city where Christopher Fagan took refuge in 1497 - he had been a supporter of Perkin Warbeck's claim to the throne and Cork was solidly behind that pretender. From the Kerry branch were descended the Fagans who distinguished themselves in the service of France in the eighteenth century and were ennobled in that country. The name is not really numerous in Ireland - it is estimated that about two thousand of the population are so called (almost all these are natives of Leinster, fifty per cent of whom are Dubliners) [more].
The O'Faoghagain variant of O'hAodhagan (O'Hagan) theory:
Finally from GoIreland.com2, ..."There is also a Gaelic Irish family of O Faodhagain, anglicized Fagan, which belongs to Co. Louth: it may be a corrupt form of the well known name O'Hagan but Fr. John Ryan thinks not. One of these, Edmund O'Fagan, was an officer in the Ultonia regiment of the Spanish army in 1778. While the fact that Fagan is in most cases of Norman origin is accepted... " Fr. Woulfe believes that O Faoghagain is a variant of O hAodhagan (O'Hagan) and some scholars concur.
The Patrick O'Hagan theory:
According to Willaim Arthur, M.A.4 "The origin of the name Fagan is Gaelic. It means, "beech-tree". The Fagans were descended from Patrick O'Hagan, living A.D. 1180. O'Hagan, the posterity of Agan. Ogan, Ogyn, or Hogyn signifies, in the Welsh, young, a youth. Gaelic, Og, a young man."
While searching the Internet, I came accross this statement in a genealogy website, "Whilst researching on the internet I came across Hugh MacMahon Baron of Furney, (being the father-in-law of Patrick O'Hagan alias Fagan). Patrick was Baron of Tullagh-og in Tyrone, all this is around 1180...". At another web site I found, "One of the O'Hagans aquired territory in Meath by marriage to a O'Melaghlin. Walter DeLacy gave all his land rights in Meath to O'Hagan. O'Hagan then changed his name to FAGAN and became a DeLacy supporter (In 1205 Hugh de Lacey was granted all the land of Ulster). More regarding this line is available through Burke's, and includes the Fagan Coat of Arms of this lineage".
As you can see there are difficulties finding definitive information regarding the Fagan name. What I have found indicates that in some cases, Fagan is considered a reduced Anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó Fágáin or Ó Faodhagáin, which are most probably dialect or dirrivative forms of (Ó)Hagan and/or Ó hAgáin; and in other cases it seems to have Norman origins; and in other cases simply a name change by an individual. If anyone has done further research on this and can assist me in clarifying this for our clan, please contact me.
References:
- 1 Edward MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland, 6th edition (Dublin, Ireland, Irish Academic Press Ltd., 1985) ISBN 0-7165-2366-3
- 2 GoIreland.com is operated by Gulliver Ireland, which is headquartered in Killorglin, County Kerry and is "Ireland’s leading cost effective provider of tourist information and reservations." The URL for the information regarding the Fagan name is http://www.goireland.com/genealogy/scripts/Family.asp?FamilyID=118
- 3 Michael C. O'Laughlin, The Irish Book of Arms, (Kansas City, Missouri, USA, Irish Genealogical Foundation, 2000) ISBN 0-940134-86-1
- 4 Arthur, William, M.A. An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. With an Essay on their Derivation and Import. New York, NY: Sheldon, Blake & CO., 1857.