Hanlan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of Hanlan

What does the name Hanlan mean?

The name Hanlan has seen many modifications since the time in which it was first devised. In Gaelic it appeared as Ó hAnluain, which is possibly derived from luan, which means champion, intensified by an. 1

Early Origins of the Hanlan family

The surname Hanlan was first found in County Armagh (Irish: Ard Mhacha) located in the province of Ulster in present day Northern Ireland. 1

The family were Lords of Orior (the ancient name for Ulster) and claim descent through the Maddens of Ulster who were descendants of the Heremon Kings of Ireland. 2 They were "one of the most important of the septs of Ulster." 3

"This family were 'Tanists of a large territory within the present county of Armagh, and up to the time of James I. enjoyed the honour and office of hereditary Standard-Bearer of Ulster-a privilege which Sir William Russell, when Lord Deputy, with due policy recognized; as marching against O'Neill and the northern insurgents, he committed the royal standard (which the O'Mulloy had carried through the Pale) to Hugh O'Hanlon, who had theretofore submitted to the English government.'" 4

Early History of the Hanlan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hanlan research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1537, 1620, 1641, 1681 and 1862 are included under the topic Early Hanlan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hanlan Spelling Variations

Many different spelling variations of the surname Hanlan exist in the archives researched. Ancient scribes and church officials recorded names as they were pronounced, often resulting in a single person being recorded under several different spellings. Different spellings that were found include Hanlon, Hanlin, O'Hanlon and others.

Early Notables of the Hanlan family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was Redmond O'Hanlon (c. 1620-1681) an Irish tóraidhe or rapparee (guerrilla soldier-outlaw) who became so when his lands were confiscated by the Anglo-Irish landowner Henry St. John...
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hanlan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hanlan migration to the United States +

During the middle of the 19th century, Irish families often experienced extreme poverty and racial discrimination in their own homeland under English rule. Record numbers died of disease and starvation, and many others, deciding against such a fate, boarded ships bound for North America. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Unfortunately, many of those Irish that arrived in Canada or the United States still experienced economic and racial discrimination. Although often maligned, these Irish people were essential to the rapid development of these countries because they provided the cheap labor required for the many canals, roads, railways, and other projects required for strong national infrastructures. Eventually the Irish went on to make contributions in the less backbreaking and more intellectual arenas of commerce, education, and the arts. Research early immigration and passenger lists revealed many early immigrants bearing the name Hanlan:

Hanlan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Eleanor Hanlan, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746-1747 5

Hanlan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Hanlan, aged 25, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1805 5
Patrick Hanlan, aged 36, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1805 5
John Hanlan, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1811 5
Margaret Hanlan, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 5
Robert Hanlan, aged 30, who landed in Delaware in 1812 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hanlan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hanlan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Hugh Hanlan, aged 18, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Forth" in 1833
Patrick Hanlan, aged 10, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Forth" in 1833
Joe Hanlan, aged 7, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Forth" in 1833

Contemporary Notables of the name Hanlan (post 1700) +

M. J. Hanlan, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania at-large, 1920 6

Sources +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html