McGowan
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McGowan or MacGowan is the anglicised spelling and pronunciation of the Gaelic name Mac a' Gobhainn (pron. MacGavan). It is known in both Scots and Irish dialects of Gaelic.
It is rare among Gaelic names as it is not a clan or sept name but a trade name, (smith or blacksmith). Groups of McGowans were associated with many major clans or families and historically acted as metalworker and armourer to these groups.
A major group of McGowans established themselves as a sept or minor clan in County Cavan, Ireland. The surname is now most common in Donegal and Derry. Emigration from Donegal lead to a great number of McGowans in central Scotland, especially in and around Glasgow.
There are also truly Scottish MacGowans who originate in western Perthshire (Balquidder, Brig o' Turk and the Trossachs) and north west Stirlingshire (Buchanan parish)
McGowan is also anglicised as Smith, Smythe, McGovan, Gavin and so on.
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[edit] McGowan
- Alistair McGowan (born 1964), British impressionist
- Baron McGowan, the title of four English barons
- Bill McGowan (1896-1954), American baseball umpire
- Brandon McGowan (born 1983), American football player
- Brian McGowan (Australian politician) (born 1935), Australian politician
- Dustin McGowan (born 1982), North American baseball player
- Gerald S. McGowan (born 1946), United States Ambassador to Portugal, 1998-2001
- Jonas H. McGowan (1837-1909), U.S. Representative from Michigan
- J. P. McGowan (1880-1952), Australian-American actor, screenwriter, and director
- Jewel McGowan, American dancer
- Joe McGowan (born 1944, Irish historian
- Mark McGowan, English artist
- Pat McGowan (born 1954), American golfer
- Richard McGowan (1933 - 2007), American explorer, mountaineer, and entrepreneur
- Robert A. McGowan (1901-1955), American screenwriter and director
- Robert F. McGowan (1882-1955), American film director and producer
- Rose McGowan, American actress
- Samuel McGowan (1870-1934) , Admiral in the United States Navy
- Samuel McGowan (general) (1819-1897), Confederate General during the American Civil War
- Stephen McGowan, American corporate executive
- Tom McGowan (born 1959), American actor
- William G. McGowan (1927-1992), American entrepreneur and chairman of MCI Communications
[edit] MacGowan
- Shane MacGowan (born 1957), Irish musician
- Foster MacGowan Voorhees (1856-1927), American politician, governor of New Jersey
[edit] Mac a' Ghobhainn
- Iain Mac a' Ghobhainn - name of Iain Crichton Smith in his native Scottish Gaelic
[edit] See also
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This page or section lists people with the surname McGowan. If an internal link for a specific person referred you to this page, you may wish to add the given name(s) to that link. |
