O'Behand History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Etymology of O'Behand

The Irish name O'Behand comes from the Gaelic name Ó Beachain, possibly derived from the word "beach," which means "bee." It was also an Anglicized version of the Gaelic personal name Beathán, from "beatha," meaning "life." 1

Early Origins of the O'Behand family

Early History of the O'Behand family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Behand research. Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early O'Behand History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

O'Behand Spelling Variations

The search for the origins of the name O'Behand family name revealed numerous spelling variations. These variants can be somewhat accounted for when it is realized that before widespread literacy people only recognized their name by pronunciation; it was up to scribes to decide how it was to be formally recorded. Variations found include Behan, Beehan, Beaghan, O'Behan, Beehan, Beagan, O'Beaghan, O'Behen, Behen and many more.

Early Notables of the O'Behand family

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

Migration of the O'Behand family

The 18th century saw the slow yet steady emigration of Irish families to British North America and the United States. Those early Irish settlers that left their homeland were typically moderately well off: they were enticed by the promise of a sizable plot of land. However, by the 1840s, this pattern of immigration was gone: immigrants to North America were seeking refuge from the starvation and disease that the Great Potato Famine of that decade brought. The great numbers of Irish that arrived to the United States and the soon to be Canada were instrumental in their quick development as powerful industrial nations. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists uncovered many early immigrants bearing the name O'Behand: James Behan who arrived in New York City in 1822; Henry Behan settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1854; Michael Beehan settled in Philadelphia in 1868.