O'Gannon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Etymology of O'Gannon

Hundreds of years ago, the Gaelic name used by the O'Gannon family in Ireland was Mag Fhionnain, derived from the word "fionn," which means "fair."

Early Origins of the O'Gannon family

Early History of the O'Gannon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Gannon research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1798 is included under the topic Early O'Gannon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

O'Gannon Spelling Variations

Within the archives researched, many different spelling variations of the surname O'Gannon were found. These included One reason for the many variations is that scribes and church officials often spelled an individual's name as it sounded. This imprecise method often led to many versions. Gannon, Ganon and others.

Early Notables of the O'Gannon family

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

Migration of the O'Gannon family

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 O'Gannon family in North America: Edward, Francis, Hugh, James, John, Michael, Patrick, Thomas and William Gannon who all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860; Conner Gannon and Mary Gannon arrived in Canada in 1839..