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Scanlan History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Scanlan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of Scanlan

What does the name Scanlan mean?

Today's Irish surnames are underpinned by a multitude of rich histories. The name Scanlan originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Scannlain or Mac Scannlain, which are both derived from the word "scannal," which means "contention." 1

Early Origins of the Scanlan family

The surname Scanlan was first found in County Louth (Irish: Lú) the smallest county in Ireland, located on the East coast, in the Province of Leinster. "The Mac Scanlans were a sept of Louth, from whom the ancient locality of Bally Mac Scanlan took its name. The first of the family mentioned by D'Alton is Patrick O'Scanlan, who was made archbishop or Armagh in 1261. " 2 According to O'Hart, the family claim descent from the Heremon Kings of Ireland, more specifically through the O'Shaughnessey pedigree as Tuadan, brother of Duach was the ancestor of O'Scannla which is Anglicized as Scanlan. 3

However, MacLysaght claims that there are two quite distinct septs; the Ó Scannlain of Munster and MacScannlain of Louth. The latter claimed Bally Mac Scanlan (Ballymacscanlan) as their ancient homeland. He continues pointing out that there are six places names Ballymacscanlan throughout Ireland eluding to the family's widespread distribution. 4

Early History of the Scanlan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Scanlan research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1272 is included under the topic Early Scanlan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Scanlan Spelling Variations

Within the archives researched, many different spelling variations of the surname Scanlan 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. Scanlan, O'Scannell, O'Scanlan, O'Scanlon, MacScanlan, Scanlin and many more.

Early Notables of the Scanlan family

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

Scanlan Ranking

In the United States, the name Scanlan is the 6,519^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 5

Scanlan 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 Scanlan family in North America:

Scanlan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mary Scanlan, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 6
Ann Scanlan, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1772 6

Scanlan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Anne, Charles, Daniel, Denis, Edward, James, John, Michael, Patrick, Peter, Thomas, Timothy, and William Scanlan, who all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1800 and 1870
James Scanlan, who landed in America in 1810 6
Peter Scanlan, who landed in New York, NY in 1812 6
Michael Scanlan, aged 34, who landed in Massachusetts in 1813 6
Morris Scanlan, who arrived in New York in 1828 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Scanlan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Scanlan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

James Scanlan, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1816
Stephen Scanlan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1824
Laurence Scanlan, aged 50, a farmer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Ann & Mary" from Cork, Ireland
Mary Scanlan, aged 30, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Ann & Mary" from Cork, Ireland
Ms. Bridget Scanlan, aged 24 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Free Trader" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Scanlan migration to Australia +

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

Scanlan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Patrick Scanlan, (b. 1818), aged 20, Irish labourer who was convicted in Tipperary, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 29th December 1838, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Miss Johanna Scanlan, Irish convict who was convicted in Limerick, Ireland for 10 years, transported aboard the "Blackfriar" on 24th January 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
Miss Ann Scanlan, English convict who was convicted in Westminister, London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Duchess of Northumberland" on 25th November 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
Thomas Scanlan, aged 17, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Hooghly" 11
Ellen Scanlan, aged 18, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Hooghly" 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Scanlan 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:

Scanlan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Margaret Scanlan, aged 18, a dairymaid, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1876
Margaret Scanlan, aged 21, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hermione" in 1878
Mary Scanlan, aged 22, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hermione" in 1878
Ellen Scanlan, aged 21, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Hermione" in 1878
Miss Mary Scanlan, (b. 1859), aged 20, Irish general servant, from Sligo travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Invercargill, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 28th August 1879 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Scanlan (post 1700) +

William J. Scanlan (1856-1898), American composer and actor of musical theater
Neal Scanlan, American Academy Award winning animation director, known for his work on Prometheus (2012), Babe (1995) and The Golden Compass (2007)
Luke Scanlan (1841-1915), American farmer and politician, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1913
Joseph Lawrence Scanlan (b. 1929), American film and television director, known for his work on Another World (1964), Knots Landing (1979) and Largo Winch (2001)
Jerry Lafaele Scanlan (b. 1957), nicknamed "The Snake", a former American NFL football tight end for the Washington Redskins (1980-1981)
Father Michael Scanlan (b. 1931), American Catholic priest, author, and Chancellor of the Franciscan University of Steubenville
Robert Richard "R.R." Scanlan (1801-1876), Irish painter and portraitist
Thomas Scanlan (1874-1930), Irish nationalist politician and MP in the House of Commons
John Scanlan (1930-1997), Irish born, Bishop of Honolulu
Sean Scanlan (1948-2017), Scottish actor
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Scanlan family +

RMS Titanic

Mr. James Scanlan (d. 1912), aged 22, Irish Third Class passenger from Rathkeale, Limerick who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 13

USS Indianapolis

Osceola Carlisle Scanlan (1922-1947), American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he survived the sinking 14

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 54)
Convict Records Australia. Retrieved on 18th March 2022 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blackfriar
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duchess-of-northumberland
South Australian Register Wednesday 21st February 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Rodney 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/rodney1855.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew