Show ContentsLanghan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Langhan

What does the name Langhan mean?

There are many Irish surnames being used today in forms that are quite different than their original, ancient forms. Langhan originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Longain, which is derived from the word long, which means tall. 1

Early Origins of the Langhan family

The surname Langhan was first found in Down (Irish:An Dún) part of the Province of Ulster, in Northern Ireland, formerly known as county St Mirren, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Langhan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Langhan research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1689 and 1758 are included under the topic Early Langhan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Langhan Spelling Variations

Those scribes in Ireland during the Middle Ages recorded names as they sounded. Consequently, in this era many people were recorded under different spellings each time their name was written down. Research on the Langhan family name revealed numerous spelling variations, including Langan, Longan, Langen, Longen, O'Lonagain, Langhan, Langin, O'Langane, O'Longane, O'Langan and many more.

Early Notables of the Langhan family

More information is included under the topic Early Langhan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Langhan migration to the United States +

During the 19th century thousands of impoverished Irish families made the long journey to British North America and the United States. These people were leaving a land that had become beset with poverty, lack of opportunity, and hunger. In North America, they hoped to find land, work, and political and religious freedoms. Although the majority of the immigrants that survived the long sea passage did make these discoveries, it was not without much perseverance and hard work: by the mid-19th century land suitable for agriculture was short supply, especially in British North America, in the east; the work available was generally low paying and physically taxing construction or factory work; and the English stereotypes concerning the Irish, although less frequent and vehement, were, nevertheless, present in the land of freedom, liberty, and equality for all men. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. Research into passenger and immigration lists has brought forth evidence of the early members of the Langhan family in North America:

Langhan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Edward Langhan, aged 18, who arrived in New York in 1854 2

Langhan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Langhan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Martin Langhan, aged 34, a yeoman, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Elizabeth" from Galway, Ireland


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook