Duggan Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Duggan Family History

Duggan Family History

The Duggan ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives.

Surnames developed a wide number of variants over the centuries. Many different spelling variations of the same name can be traced back to a single original root. Also, when a bearer of a name emigrated from Ireland it was not uncommon that their original name would be incorrectly transcribed in the record books upon arrival at their new location. Some names have dozens of spelling variations. Some Surnames were also altered over the years based on how they sounded phonetically, by their sound, and depending on the prevailing political conditions it may have been advantageous to change a name from one language to another. This was especially so in Ireland where most Gaelic names were 'anglicized' at some stage.

Variants of the name Duggan include Dougan, Dugan and Duggin. These names are derived from the Gaelic O'Dubhagain sept name. The name O'Duggan is now almost entirely confined to Munster, especially Counties Cork, Tipperary, and Waterford. In the seventeenth century the name was very numerous in County Tipperary. This is as might be expected, because the principal sept of the name originated in the area around the modern town of Fermoy, where in pre-Norman times its Chief was Lord of the territory later known as Roche's Country. One other sept of the name was notable, that belonging to the Ui Maine, though not of the same origin as the O'Kellys. This sept has left its mark with some very distinguished descendants. To that sept belonged John O'Dugan who died in 1372, and who was co-author of the celebrated 'Topographical Poems'. Of the Hy Many sept too, was the Rev. Patrick Duggan, 1813-1896.The Duggan family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Duggan descendants.