Surname Coughlan - Meaning and Origin

Coughlan: What does the surname Coughlan mean?

The last name Coughlan is an anglicized version of the ancient Gaelic surname O'Comhghalláin, which was anglicized by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries when they were working to anglicize the Irish. The literal translation of the name is "son of Comhghalláin", which is derived from the Old Irish personal name "Comhghalláin" which was a very popular name in medieval Ireland. It has various interpretations, the most popular being "noble valor" and "man of strength".

The Coughlan surname originated in County Kilkenny and spread to adjoining regions in the south east of Ireland. Within the provinces of Ulster and Connacht, the name was rarely found. They had spread to England during the 17th century and there are still some families in Scotland, Australia, the USA and Canada who carry this surname.

Overall, the Coughlan surname carries a proud and Celtic heritage, stemming from the courage, strength and character of the name bearer's ancestors. The rich heritage of the name honorably symbolizes those who lived before us, and still pervades to this day.

Coughlan: Where does the name Coughlan come from?

The last name Coughlan is a relatively uncommon surname, but it is found in several English-speaking countries. In the United States, it is most commonly found in the northeastern states, including Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Delaware. In the United Kingdom, Coughlan is most common in Ireland, particularly counties Cork and Galway. In Canada, the surname is relatively sparsely distributed, with pockets of concentration in the provinces of Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador. In Australia, Coughlan is most frequently found in New South Wales and Victoria. South Africa is home to a number of Coughlans, primarily in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

In the United States, Coughlan is among the 10,000 most frequently occurring surnames. In the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada, Coughlan is a less common last name. The surname is derived from the Irish surname O'Coghlan, which itself is derived from multiple Gaelic words.

Today, the last name Coughlan is still relatively uncommon, but it can be found scattered across the English-speaking world.

Variations of the surname Coughlan

The surname Coughlan (also spelled Couglin, Coughlin, Coughling, and Cauglin) is of Irish origin. The most common form of the name, Coughlan, is derived from the former Gaelic name "O Cobhthaigh," meaning "descendant of Cobhthach," a personal name derived from "cobthach," meaning "victorious". This name first appeared in written records in the mid-fiveteenth century, when a John Ocoghlan was documented as the Chief of the name Coughlan in 1422.

Variations in spelling of the surname Coughlan may also be found in many other cultures and languages, including Crowley, Coghlan, and Coghill. Additional variants of the surname include Couchelan, Coughell, and Coughell. In England, variations of this surname are spelled Cogshill or Cogsill, and the Welsh version of the name is spelled Coughlen.

Although Coughlan is still very much a popular name, its usage has decreased significantly over the last few centuries. For example, there were only 112 occurrences of Coughlan in the United States census of 2000, indicating that the name is still active, but not as widespread as even one hundred years ago. The usage of some of the variations of the name, however, continues to be widespread in both Ireland and abroad.

Famous people with the name Coughlan

• Ford Coughlan: American professional baseball player
• Pat Coughlan: Irish GAA footballer
• Abbie Coughlan- English poet
• Chris Coughlan: American professional soccer player
• John Coughlan: Irish GAA soccer player
• Kyle Coughlan: American professional skateboarder
• Cleo Coughlan: Australian actress
• John Coughlan: Irish GAA hurler
• Anthony Coughlan: Irish political scholar
• Thomas Coughlan: Canadian actor
• Eamonn Coughlan: Irish GAA footballer
• Paul Coughlan: Australian basketball player
• Mary Coughlan: Irish politician
• Laura Coughlan: Canadian fashion model
• Heather Coughlan: American opera singer
• Philip Coughlan: British chemical engineer
• Joseph Coughlan: Irish GAA footballer
• Paddy Coughlan: Irish GAA hurler
• Aoife Coughlan: Irish GAA footballer
• Bill Coughlan: English rugby union player

Other surnames

CoughlaneCoughleyCoughlin