Monaghan (surname)


The surname Monaghan is a family name originating from the province of Connacht in Ireland. Mostly a last name.

Origins

The surname Monaghan is an anglicization of the Irish surname O'Manacháin. The Irish translation for this name is descendant of Manacháin, which ultimately translates to "Monk". Other variations include Monahan and Monachan.
Essentially, sometime before the 16th century, the Connacht family derived the name Monahan from the infamous warrior Manacháin mentioned by the Four Masters at the year 866. The O'Manacháin clan were chiefs of Ui Briuin na Sionna in the barony of Ballintober, Co. Roscommon, until the year 1249 when they were ousted by the O'Beirnes.
Although they share the same spelling, the surname Monaghan is not related to County Monaghan, Ireland, whose name is derived from the Irish Muineachán. Muineachán means "a place abounding in little hills" or "little shrubbery" from muine, a shrubbery, with the diminutive affix cán.
The surname is however the source for County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, which means "Place of the Men of Manacháin."

Variations

Due to the recent standardisation of the English language, many Gaelic surnames transliterated into English have multiple spelling variations. The surname Monahan is a variant of the surname Monaghan.

Notable Monaghans

Development

A census conducted in 1890 of Ireland states that an estimated 4,300 Irish citizens bear the name Monaghan.