McGowan

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McGowan is an English language surname. It is an Anglicization of the Irish surname Mac Gobhann.[1]

A surname of ancient Gael royals

Gaelic Ireland and its territory of the Ulaidh or Ulidia (kingdom) circa 900 A.D.

Mac Gowan, sometimes, McGowan or, simply, Gowan, is a surname of ancient Gael royals. The MacGowan were one of a group of ancient Dál Fiatach dynasties that ruled Gaelic Ireland's Ulaidh nation or Uluti tribe. The MacGowan produced several of the over-kings of the Ulaidh and their last patrimony, which was Ulidia. Circa late 12th century A.D., English armies expelled the MacGowan from the Ulidia (kingdom) area or what is today the southeastern part of Northern Ireland or Ulster (in modern media usage) and into the area of what is today the modern Republic of Ireland's Donegal.[2] The area of modern Donegal was then comprised within the last standing Gaelic sovereignty and stronghold of Tirconnell kingdom, which was ruled by the O'Donnell dynasty royals.

Meaning

As noted further in source by John O'Hart, though not an occupational surname, MacGowan evolves as an Anglicization of the original Gaelic language personal description or nickname "gobha", meaning in English language "blacksmith". For this reason, the surnames of some septs of the MacGowan are alternately anglicised to Smythe (surname) or Smith. Mac, which may appear in anglicised contraction as Mc, sometimes written Mc or, further, abbreviated M', means in English "son",[3] but, when an element used to form a Gaelic language patronymic in its usage of "They have no share in the promise made to the sons of Adam“,[4] that is "descended" of a thereafter personal named or nicknamed (sometimes by description as in Gaelic language Duinneshliebhe, anglicised Donlevy, "brown haired chief of the mountain fort", Gaelic language gobha "the smithy", anglicised Gowan, or the Gaelic language Ultaigh, anglicised Nulty, "the Ulidian") founding ancestor or sire of a Gaelic clan.[5] The surname Mac Gowan, therefore, translates from Gaelic language to English language as "descended of the smith".

Notable people

USS McGowan (DD-678), the namesake of Rear Admiral Samuel McGowan USN
Rear Admiral Samuel McGowan USN

MacGowan:

  • Alice MacGowan (1858–1947), American writer
  • Shane MacGowan (born 1957), Irish musician
  • Foster MacGowan Voorhees (1856–1927), American politician, governor of New Jersey

Gowan:

In U.S. naval history

Ships of the name

Flag officers

Rear Admiral Samuel McGowan USN

Naval heroes

  • The source for all awards is Gannett Military Times Hall of Valor.[6]

In U.S. Army history

General officers

Army heroes

  • The source for all awards is Gannett Military Times Hall of Valor.[7]

See also

  • McGowan Lakes, a series of seven small alpine glacial lakes in Custer County, Idaho, United States
  • McGowan v. Maryland, a US Supreme Court case involving trading on Sunday
  • McGowan's Pass, a topographical feature of Central Park in New York City, New York
  • McGowan Station, an island platformed METRORail light rail station in Houston, Texas, United States
  • McGowan's War, a bloodless war that took place in Yale, British Columbia in the fall of 1858 and, there, threatened the newly established British authority on the mainland
  • McGowan, Washington, a community in Washington state
  • McGoohan
  • Recipients of the Legion of Merit, awarded to 3 McGowan
  • Distinguished Service Medal (US Army), one McGowan General officer recipient

References

  1. ↑ Dictionary of American Family Names P. Hanks ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press (2003) Vol. 2 G-N p 554 ISBN 0-19-508137-4 (set)
  2. ↑ John O'Hart, Irish Pedigrees; or, The Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation, 5th edition, in two volumes, originally published in Dublin in 1892, reprinted, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976, Vol. 1, pp 311–312, 819–820 and 872, for described general historical context for Ulaidh, see, also, The Encyclopedia of Ireland, B. Lalor and F. McCourt editors, © 2003 New Haven: Yale University Press, p. 1089 ISBN 0-300-09442-6
  3. ↑ 4th MacEachen's Gaelic-English Dictionary, Inverness, The Northern Counties Newspaper and Printing and Publishing Company, Limited, 1922, p. 280
  4. ↑ Oxford English Dictionary, in 2 volumes, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1971, 26th printing July, 1987, Volume 2 (P-Z), p. 2918 at "son"
  5. ↑ The World Book Dictionary, in 2 volumes, Volume 2 (L-Z), Chicago, World Book, Inc., 2005, ISBN 978-0-7166-0201-9 (set), ISBN 0-7166-0201-6 (set), p. 1528 "patronymic … a name derived from name of paternal ancestor, especially by addition of a prefix … (usage example) MacDonald meaning 'descendant of Donald' …”, Mac in this context is used to claim a national, clan or dynastic membership.
  6. ↑ http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/search.php?medal=&service=&conflict=&term=McGowan&page=1
  7. ↑
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