Surname Dennigan - Meaning and Origin

Dennigan: What does the surname Dennigan mean?

The surname Dennigan is of Irish origin, derived from the Irish name "Ó Duinnagáin." This patronymic name was formed with the Gaelic prefix "Ó," which means "descendant of," and the personal name "Duinnagáin". The latter is based on "Donn", denoting brown and the diminutive suffix "-an," indicating little. Hence, the surname can be translated to "little brown one" or "descendant of the little brown one". The name could therefore be a descriptive moniker for someone with brown hair or a darker complexion. It may also refer to the geography of the original bearers, possibly an area with brown or dark soil. Like many Irish surnames, it has variants including the more common Donovan. Keep in mind that the meaning might not fully reflect the identity of all individuals with this surname today, as the surname has been passed down generations and across regions.

Dennigan: Where does the name Dennigan come from?

The last name Dennigan is of Irish origin. It is an anglicised version of the Gaelic name "Ó Duinnagáin" with "Ó" refers to "grandson of" or “descendant of”, and "Duinnagáin" is a diminutive of "Donn", meaning "brown". Therefore the name could be interpreted as "descendant of the little brown one". The name is associated with the counties of Tyrone and Donegal in the northern part of Ireland. Today, the surname Dennigan can be found spread out across the globe due to the events of Irish emigration, especially during the Great Famine in the mid-19th century. It's not considered common and its density varies worldwide, with the highest concentration probably still in Ireland, but with many bearers of the name also residing in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.

Variations of the surname Dennigan

The surname Dennigan is of Irish origin and has various variants due to regional accents, misspellings, translation errors and Anglicisation over the centuries. The name likely comes from the Old Gaelic surname "O'Donnagain," which was derived from the Irish personal name Donnchadh.

The variants and spellings of Dennigan can include Denigan, Donnigan, Donegan, Donnegan, Donnagen, Donnigan, Dunican, Dunnican, Dinnegan, Dinegan, and Dinnigan. Additionally, the prefix "O" or "Ó", which means "descendant of" in Irish, may be included or dropped in various versions, leading to forms like O'Dennigan or O'Donegan.

As well, it’s important to note the surname Donegan and its variations -- it shares common roots with Dennigan and can sometimes be mistaken as the same name. The surnames Dunnigan, Dungan, Dongan, Dunegan and other phonetically similar names may also be connected.

When researching genealogy with this family name, it might be helpful to consider all these different spellings, as records may have been kept or translated inconsistently throughout history.

Famous people with the name Dennigan

• Shauna Dennigan: Famous American Voice Actress
• J.J. Dennigan: Renowned Irish Fiddler
• Alex Dennigan: Professional Ice Hockey Player in the UK
• Sara Dennigan: Award-Winning Broadway Star
• Kevin Dennigan: Emmy-Nominated TV Producer
• David Dennigan: Noted Irish Novelist
• Patrick Dennigan: Professional Football Player from the US
• Donny Dennigan: American Flamenco Guitarist
• Stephen Dennigan: Renowned Sculptor and Painter
• Neil Dennigan: Noted Australian Author
• Peadar Dennigan: Famous Irish Poet
• Nancy Dennigan: Famous Irish Singer/Songwriter
• Jim Dennigan: Award-Winning Jazz Musician
• Donal Dennigan: Noted Irish Novelist/Academic
• Sean Dennigan: Famous British Television Presenter
• Bridget Dennigan: Renowned Irish Actress
• Christa Dennigan: Professional Salsa Dancer and Instructor
• Barry Dennigan: Noted Irish Golfer
• Gareth Dennigan: Award-Winning Poet and Writer
• Rory Dennigan: UK Comedian and Actor

Other surnames

Dennig