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Cavanagh History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Sources

Cavanagh History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland-Alt
Ireland

Etymology of Cavanagh

What does the name Cavanagh mean?

Irish names tend to vary widely in their spelling and overall form. The original Gaelic form of the name Cavanagh is Caomhanach, an adjective denoting association with St. Caomhan. The first Kavanagh, Donal, the son of Dermot MacMurrough, was fostered by a successor of this saint.

Early Origins of the Cavanagh family

The surname Cavanagh was first found in County Carlow (Irish: Cheatharlach) a small landlocked area located in the province of Leinster in the South East of Ireland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. The Kavanaghs (Cavanaghs) were descended from the MacMorough stem and were Lords of Leinster. Donoch McMorough was the King of Leinster, son of Dermod and it was from Donoch from which the Cavanaghs sprang. They were descended directly from the Heremon Line of Irish Kings. Donell, son of Dermot MacMurrough acquired the name Caomhanach, or Cavanagh. His sister Eva married Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke, the leader of the English invasion of Ireland. 1

Early History of the Cavanagh family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cavanagh research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1538, 1540, 1541, 1543, 1554, 1667, 1739 and 1889 are included under the topic Early Cavanagh History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cavanagh Spelling Variations

Irish names were rarely spelled consistently in the Middle Ages. Spelling variations of the name Cavanagh dating from that time include Cavanagh, Kavanagh, Kavanah, Cavanaugh, Keevan, Cavanaw, Kavanaw, Cavenaugh, Cavanough, Cavaneagh, Cavana, Cavena, Cavinaugh, Kavina, Kavena, Kavanaugh, Cavanach, Kavanach, Cabenagh, O'Cavanagh, O'Kavanagh, Keaveney, Geaveney, M'Cavanna and many more.

Early Notables of the Cavanagh family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was

Christian Davies (1667-1739), born Christian Cavanagh in Dublin, also known as Kit Cavanagh and Mother Ross was a trooper and later a sutler for the 4th Dragoons who kept her disguise for nine years i...

Cavanagh World Ranking

In the United States, the name Cavanagh is the 11,904^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2 However, in Australia, the name Cavanagh is ranked the 714^th most popular surname with an estimated 5,498 people with that name. 3 And in New Zealand, the name Cavanagh is the 871^st popular surname with an estimated 841 people with that name. 4

Cavanagh migration to the United States +

Thousands of Irish families left for North American shores in the 19th century. These people were searching for a life unencumbered with poverty, hunger, and racial discrimination. Many arrived to eventually find such conditions, but many others simply did not arrive: victims of the diseased, overcrowded ships in which they traveled to the New World. Those who lived to see North American shores were instrumental in the development of the growing nations of Canada and the United States. A thorough examination of passenger and immigration lists has disclosed evidence of many early immigrants of the name Cavanagh:

Cavanagh Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mary Cavanagh, who arrived in Virginia in 1769-1770 5
Hester Cavanagh, aged 18, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1777 5

Cavanagh Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jos Cavanagh, aged 34, who landed in Wiskasset in 1803 5
Peter Cavanagh, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1838 5
James Cavanagh, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 5
Daniel Cavanagh, aged 26, who arrived in Missouri in 1845 5
James Cavanagh who arrived in New York State in 1848
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cavanagh migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Cavanagh Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Owen Cavanagh, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749
Barnaby Cavanagh, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749
James Cavanagh, who arrived in Halifax Nova Scotia in 1750
John Cavanagh, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1750

Cavanagh Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Anthoney Cavanagh, aged 22, a farmer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Preston" from Sligo, Ireland
Biddy Cavanagh, aged 24, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Preston" from Sligo, Ireland
Senty Cavanagh, aged 20, a farmer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Preston" from Sligo, Ireland
John Cavanagh, aged 28, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Robert Burns" in 1834
Catherine Cavanagh, aged 22, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Prudence" in 1838
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cavanagh migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Cavanagh Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Bartholomew Cavanagh, (Patrick, Kavenagh), Irish stone mason who was convicted in Limerick, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Boyd" on 10th March 1809, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
Mr. John Cavanagh, (Kavenagh, Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Boyd" on 10th March 1809, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
Mr. Matthew Cavanagh, (b. 1821), aged 17, Irish labourer who was convicted in Galway, Ireland for 7 years for manslaughter, transported aboard the "Clyde" on 11th May 1838, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7
Patrick Cavanagh, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Thirteen" in 1840 8
Elizabeth Cavanagh, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Thirteen" in 1840 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Cavanagh migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Cavanagh Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Denis Cavanagh, British settler arriving as Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Sir George Symour" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th November 1847 9
Mrs. Bridget Cavanagh, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Sir George Symour" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th November 1847 9
Mr. John Cavanagh, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "George Canning" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 28th November 1857 10
Miss Anna Cavanagh, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "George Canning" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 28th November 1857 10
Daniel Cavanagh, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "John Masterman" in 1857
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Cavanagh (post 1700) +

John Cavanagh (1864-1957), American gentleman's hatter based in New York
John Cavanagh, American Director of the Institute for Policy Studies, Washington, D.C. since 1998
Megan Cavanagh (b. 1960), American actress and voice talent, best known for portraying the voice of Judy Neutron in Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
Jack A. Cavanagh Jr., American Republican politician, Mayor of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 1997-2001; Defeated, 2001 11
Howard W. Cavanagh, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1920; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1932; Candidate for Michigan State Senate 9th District, 1942 11
George Cavanagh, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Maryland, 1956 11
Garvan Cavanagh, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Connecticut, 1956 11
Daniel Cavanagh, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Wisconsin State Assembly, 1870; Member of Wisconsin State Senate, 1876-77 11
Dan J. Cavanagh (b. 1883), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Idaho State House of Representatives, 1933-37; Idaho Democratic State Chair, 1947-48; Member of Democratic National Committee from Idaho, 1948-50 11
Charles Thomas Cavanagh (b. 1893), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Massachusetts State House of Representatives, 1929-34; Member of Massachusetts State Senate Second Middlesex District, 1934-36 11
... (Another 26 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Cavanagh family +

HMS Repulse

Mr. William Anthony Cavanagh, British Surgeon Lieutenant, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 12

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Boyd
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clyde
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) THIRTEEN 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Thirteen.gif
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html