Surname O'Haran - Meaning and Origin
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O'Haran: What does the surname O'Haran mean?
The last name O'Haran is an ancient Irish surname derived from the Irish surname Ó hEaghra. It is believed to have been first used by people of the O'Hara Clan who lived in the town of Oughterard in County Galway. The root of the name is Ó hEaghra which translates from Irish to English as descendant of Eaghra. Eaghra was a clan leader from the time of High King Niall of the Nine Hostages, who died in A.D. 405.
The O'Haras were a powerful family who distinguished themselves in battles and the Irish language. They were most prominent in County Leitrim, where they owned vast tracts of land. They were so influential in the area that the town of Oughterard, which was the original home of the O'Haras, was also known as "O'Hara's Country".
The O'Haras were renowned warriors and used their strength to protect their lands. They were known to live by a code of honor and loyalty and believed strongly in the importance of education and the Irish language. Today, people descended from the O'Haras have adopted a modernized version of the surname, such as O'Hara or Hara, and can be found in many places around the world.
Order DNA origin analysisO'Haran: Where does the name O'Haran come from?
The last name O'Haran is associated primarily with the Irish diaspora. It is a common name in Ireland and the United Kingdom, as well as France, the United States, Canada, and Australia. The Irish variant, Ó hAráin, comes from the old Gaelic name O'hArain, which means descendant of Arain. The name was first found in County Galway and County Mayo.
O'Haran's are also found in significant numbers throughout the world, especially in the United States. In fact, the surname is the 185th most common in America. In the American census of 2000, O'Harans ranked as the 104th most common surname in the United States, and the 57th most common with Asians and Pacific Islanders. In Australia, O’Haran is the 23rd most common surname, with over 3500 individuals with the name.
In the past century, the O'Haran name has been on the rise as the number of individuals bearing the surname has risen in countries around the world. It is particularly prominent in Europe, with over 130,000 individuals registered with the name in the 2020 census.
The O'Haran diaspora is one of the largest and most recent mass migrations of people in history. O'Harans are found in countries across the world, and continue to increase in population. As a result, the last name O’Haran will only become more common in the coming years.
Variations of the surname O'Haran
The surname O'Haran has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. O'Haran is an Irish surname derived from Ó hEaghra, an anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó for grandson plus hEaghra from Eaghra a personal name meaning “desire”.
Variants of the surname O'Haran include O'Haren, O'Heran, O'Harran, O'Herran, O'Herin, and O'Herein. O’Harra and O’Harrah are also cognates of the O’Haran surname, as is the Irish name O’Hara.
O’Haran is sometimes spelled O’Heran and often in records as O’Haren. The surname has been found in both Ireland and Scotland. In Scotland the spelling of Haran can often be found in records.
Irish surnames can appear as forms of O’Haran such as O’Harrington, O’Harrow, O’Henson, O’Hearon, O’Hearne, O’Heery, O’Hearin, O’Heery, and O’Heard.
The English forms of O’Haran are Haran, Hearan, Heran, Herran, Harran, and Heeran.
When O’Haran emigrants moved to Ireland many sourced their surname to other anglicized names, such as Heron, Herran, Harron, and a variety of alternate spellings.
Many Irish families also dropped the prefix O’ and simply used Haran, which explains the presence of the name as a stand-alone version.
The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname O'Haran demonstrate its continuing history and the presence of the name throughout many regions around the world.
Famous people with the name O'Haran
- Maureen O'Hara (1920- 2015): A five-time Golden Globe Award-nominated Irish-American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in films such as The Quiet Man and Miracle on 34th Street.
- Maureen O'Sullivan (1911-1998): An Academy Award-nominated Irish-American actress best known for playing Jane in the Tarzan series of films.
- Johnny O'Hara (1901-1968): A five-time Emmy Award-winning American comedian and actor, best remembered for his vaudeville performances and appearances on American radio and television.
- Wayne O'Hara (1917-1952): A Toronto-born jazz saxophonist and bandleader active during the 1940s and 1950s.
- Allyn Ann McLerie (1926-2018): Former Canadian actress and singer, born as Allyn Ann O'Hara. Best known for her roles in television series such as The Newsroom and films such as Paper Moon.
- Brian O'Hara (1939-2018): Irish singer and songwriter, best known as a member of The McGuire Sisters.
- Eion O'Hara (1927-2014): Irish-American actor best known for his many roles on are and film. He had 121 television credits and appeared in more than 50 films.
- William O'Hara (1928-2003): American actor best known for his role in the film, Keeping Up with the Steins.
- Mercedes O'Hara (1921-2004): A Mexican actress and singer who appeared in more than 100 films and television shows during her career spanning five decades.
- Mae O'Hara (1893-1992): An American stage and film actress best known for her role in the 1939 film, The Women.