Surname O'Grocan - Meaning and Origin
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O'Grocan: What does the surname O'Grocan mean?
The last name O'Grocan is an Irish surname derived from a Gaelic word. The Gaelic word ‘O’Groacháin’ means ‘foreigner’ and it is likely that those with this name were of Viking descent.
Originating in Ireland, the surname O'Grocan is found mostly in parts of the country such as County Donegal and County Mayo. It is estimated that the name can be found in up to twenty-five of the thirty-two Irish counties. Those who bear this name come from either the south of Ireland or the north of the country.
The surname O'Grocan also has a crest associated with it. The crest is described in heraldry as “Vert, an arm in armour embowed, holding a sword in pale, proper”. It is believed to refer to the courage of the name-bearer.
The place name of O'Grocan is thought to be derived from the surname and is found in many places in Ireland, from County Galway to County Cork.
The O'Grocan surname is an indication of a family's past, including their ancestry and the characteristics they possess. It is a tribute to the brave men and women of the O'Grocan family who worked hard to build a better life for their descendants.
Order DNA origin analysisO'Grocan: Where does the name O'Grocan come from?
The last name O'Grocan is common in Ireland today. Although much of it is concentrated in Counties Limerick and Cork, it may be found throughout the country, particularly in the Connacht area.
This surname has descended from ancient Gaelic royalty, specifically the Ó Grógáin clan. The original Irish spelling of the name is Ó Grógáin or Uí Ghrógain. The English variant of the name developed from the original Irish form in the 18th century, as English settlers began to adopt the name.
This name reflects the deep cultural and historical roots that the O'Grocan family has in Ireland. It is likely that the name began as a reference to the powerful and famous ancient clan who held political power in what is now the west of Ireland. This clan was known as the Ó Grógáin of Uí Failghe and may have been linked to the ancient southern Uí Néill over-kingship.
Today, the Irish Government lists the O'Grocan name as one of the most common Irish surnames in Ireland. It is especially common in the Cork and Limerick regions. The English spelling of the name is still widely used by immigrants to countries with English as a first language, such as the United States and United Kingdom.
Variations of the surname O'Grocan
The surname O'Grocan is a variation of the Irish surname O'Grocain, which was derived from the Gaelic 'O'Grucain'. It is also spelled as O'Grocain, O'Grocane, O'Grockan and O'Grockane.
Historically, many variants of the O'Grocan surname have been used interchangeably in Ireland, Scotland and other parts of the British Isles. The surname has also evolved differently in various parts of the world.
In Scotland, for example, the O'Grocan surname subsequently became 'O'Grocane', 'O Groan' and 'O'Grankin', while in parts of England, the O'Grocan spelling has become 'O Grankin', 'O'Gran and 'O'Grankin'.
Some variations of the O'Grocan surname are also found in America, Canada and Australia. In America it is thought to be a form of the Scottish name Grokane, while in Canada and Australia it is often seen spelled 'OGrocain'.
Some of the other variations of the O'Grocan surname include Grocan, Grocanne, Groucan, Groucanne, Grookan, Grookane and Grookanee. There are also variants which have evolved from the O'Grocan spelling, such as O Grogan, O'Grogain, O Groganes and O'Grocans.
Overall, the O'Grocan surname can take many forms, spelling variants and surnames of the same origin.
Famous people with the name O'Grocan
- Ryan O'Gorman: professional hockey player.
- Patrick O'Gorman: comedian and actor.
- John O'Grogan: Irish singer-songwriter.
- Sean O'Gorman: American novelist.
- Thomas O'Gorman: American television producer and director.
- Shane O'Gorman: professional football player.
- James O'Gorman: seven-time Emmy Award-winning American costume designer.
- Larry O'Gorman: American Football player.
- Declan O'Gorman: English soccer player.
- Ciara O'Gorman: Irish basketball player.
- Donal O'Gorman: Irish cricketer.
- Vincent O'Gorman: Irish actor.
- Frankie O'Gorman: British actor.
- Ryan O'Gorman: Mongolian horse trainer.
- Thomas J. O'Gorman: American judge.
- Austin O'Gorman: Irish painter.
- Donal O'Gorman: Actor, writer and producer.
- Conor O'Gorman: Irish music vocalist, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist.
- Brian O'Gorman: Canadian football player.
- Kerry O'Gorman: American poet.