Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 474

Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 474

This report is available at http://www.s-gabriel.org/474

Some of the Academy's early reports contain errors that we haven't yet corrected. Please use it with caution.

Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!

You asked about the Halligan name and arms; here is what we've been able to find.

<Halligan> is an English version of the Irish surname <O/ hAllagáin> or <O/ hAileagáin>. (The slash represents an acute accent over the preceding letter.) It is the name of an Oriel sept of Louth and Armagh, where in some form the name goes back to the 11th century. In the 16th century it was also found in north Connacht.

In the 16th and early 17th centuries the name was recorded in English records in the forms <O'Hallagan>, <O Hallagan>, <O'Hollegan>, <O'Halegan>, and <O Hallegane>.

The name is a patronymic meaning 'son of <Aileagán>'. <Aileacán> was a rare early Irish given name of which <Aileagán> is a later spelling.

Unfortunately, we were unable to track down any family arms.

Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn also contributed to this letter. We hope that it is of use and that we can continue to assist you.

For the Academy,

Talan Gwynek


[1] MacLysaght, Edward, _More Irish Families_ (Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1982).

[2] Woulfe, Patrick, _Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames_ (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1967).