Meehan — Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: Ó Miadhacháin
Meaning: 'descendant of the honourable one'
Traditional stronghold: Leitrim, Donegal
Pronunciation: MEE-han; Irish Ó Miadhacháin: oh MEE-a-khawn
History of the Meehan name
Meehan is Ó Miadhacháin, from miadhach, 'honourable'. The principal sept, said to be of the same stock as the MacCarthys of Munster, migrated north in the early Middle Ages and settled in County Leitrim, where the townland of Ballaghmeehan in the parish of Rossinver preserves their name; there they served as an erenagh family attached to the church of St Molaise. Other families of the name arose independently in Clare and Galway. Today Meehan is widespread across the northern half of Ireland, particularly Leitrim, Donegal, Fermanagh and Sligo, with Meighan an occasional variant.
Variants: Meighan · Mehan · O'Meehan
Famous bearers of the name
- Paula Meehan — Dublin poet who held the chair of Ireland Professor of Poetry.
- Tony Meehan — Founding drummer of The Shadows, born in London to Irish parents.
- Marty Meehan — Irish-American congressman and president of the University of Massachusetts.
Related names from the same part of Ireland: Gallagher · Boyle · Doherty · Sweeney · O'Donnell · Duffy · McLoughlin · Mooney