McGowan

McGowan /məˈɡaʊən/ is an Irish and Scottish surname. It is an Anglicization of the Irish Mac Gabhann and Scottish surname Mac Gobhann.[1] Belonging to the Uí Echach Cobo, located in modern-day County Down in the east of Ulster, they produced several over-kings of Ulaid. By the late 12th century, the English had expelled the McGowans to Tír Chonaill (now largely modern-day County Donegal) in the west of Ulster.[2]

This article is about the surname in general. For the family of UK nobility, see McGowan family.

Gaelic Ireland and the over-kingdom of Ulaid circa 900 A.D.

Meaning

As noted further in the source by John O'Hart, though not an occupational surname, MacGowan evolves as an Anglicization of the original Gaelic language personal description or nickname gobha, meaning "blacksmith". For this reason, the surnames of some septs of the MacGowan are alternately anglicised to Smythe or Smith. Mac, which may appear in anglicised contraction as Mc, sometimes written Mc or, further, abbreviated M', means in English "son",[3] but, when an element used to form a Gaelic language patronymic in its usage of "They have no share in the promise made to the sons of Adam“,[4] that is "descended" of a thereafter personal named or nicknamed (sometimes by description as in Gaelic language Duinneshliebhe, anglicised Donlevy, "brown haired chief of the mountain fort", Gaelic language gobha "the smithy", anglicised Gowan, or the Gaelic language Ultaigh, anglicised Nulty, "the Ulidian") founding ancestor or sire of a Gaelic clan.[5] The surname Mac Gowan, therefore, translates from Gaelic language to English language as "descended of the smith".

Scottish Origins

In Scotland, Mac an Ghobhain was anglicized to MacGowan. Mac Gobha, later McGow, was also made MacGowan. As the maker of arms and armour, the smith was an important hereditary position in each clan and there were MacGowans, or MacGouns, found throughout the Highlands. The two most important septs, however, were the MacGowans of Clan Donald (only to be found in Antrim and South Uist) and those of Clan MacPherson. [6]

There was also a Clan McGowan noted in fourteenth-century Nithsdale in Dumfriesshire, and in Stirlingshire there was an old family of MacGowans of uncertain origin.

Irish Origins

In Ireland the name MacGowan refers to an eponymous ancestor, Aengus an Gobhain ("Angus the Smith") or Áengus Goibnenn mac Fergus Gallen mheic Tibraide Tirech, who was a High King of Ulster and the son of Fergus Galeng, son of Tipraiti Tireach.

The MacGowans were formerly chiefs in Dalariada, a principality in eastern Ulidia. However, they were driven to Donegal, Cavan, and Sligo in the 12th century due to English invasions in eastern Ireland.[7] The MacGowans who settled in Sligo had their home at Castlegowan in Sligo, and thereafter a great number of them moved to Rossinver Parish in Leitrim.[8]

This family gave birth to many eminent ecclesiastics and literary men, and among the latter class may be mentioned Tadg Mac-an-Gowan, chief historiographer to the O'Connors towards the close of the 14th century; Felan M'an- Gowan by whom, assisted by the O'Dugans of East Galway, was compiled the " Book of the O'Kellys," commonly called the " Book of Hy-Many ;" and the no less distinguished ecclesiastical writer, Angus Ceile De M'anGowan, author of " Lives of the Irish Saints," and other tracts, who lived in the third quarter of the eighth century, and of whom the following pedigree is preserved.[9]

As for the MacGowans who remained in the northeast of Ireland (in Antrim specifically)), this family would later be associated with the MacDonnell Chieftains, who were a branch of the Scottish Clan Donald.

Notable people
USS McGowan (DD-678), the namesake of Rear Admiral Samuel McGowan USN
Rear Admiral Samuel McGowan USN

MacGowan

Gowan

  • Hunter Gowan John Hunter Gowan II (c. 1727 – 1824), Irish Protestant politician and militiaman
  • Lawrence Gowan (born 1956), Canadian musician who used the stage name Gowan
  • Ogle Robert Gowan (1803–1876), Canadian-Irish politician, son of Hunter Gowan
  • Peter Gowan (1946–2009), UK socialist academic

Other uses

See also

References
  1. Dictionary of American Family Names P. Hanks ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press (2003) Vol. 2 G-N p 554 ISBN 0-19-508137-4 (set)
  2. John O'Hart, Irish Pedigrees; or, The Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation, 5th edition, in two volumes, originally published in Dublin in 1892, reprinted, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976, Vol. 1, pp. 311–312, 819–820 and 872, for described general historical context for Ulaidh, see, also, The Encyclopedia of Ireland, B. Lalor and F. McCourt editors, © 2003 New Haven: Yale University Press, p. 1089 ISBN 0-300-09442-6
  3. 4th MacEachen's Gaelic-English Dictionary, Inverness, The Northern Counties Newspaper and Printing and Publishing Company, Limited, 1922, p. 280
  4. Oxford English Dictionary, in 2 volumes, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1971, 26th printing July, 1987, Volume 2 (P-Z), p. 2918 at "son"
  5. The World Book Dictionary, in 2 volumes, Volume 2 (L-Z), Chicago, World Book, Inc., 2005, ISBN 978-0-7166-0201-9 (set), ISBN 0-7166-0201-6 (set), p. 1528 "patronymic … a name derived from name of paternal ancestor, especially by addition of a prefix … (usage example) MacDonald meaning 'descendant of Donald' …”, Mac in this context is used to claim a national, clan or dynastic membership.
  6. "McGowan Family History".
  7. A History of the Clanna-Rory, or Rudricians by Richard F. Cronnelly, pg. 28
  8. "Castlegowan Townland, Co. Sligo".
  9. A History of the Clanna-Rory, or Rudricians by Richard F. Cronnelly, pg. 28
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