Donegan
An Irish surname probably from a Gaelic byname meaning “unhappy child” or “unlucky offspring,” though its exact derivation is not fully certain.
The #7,601 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 70,619 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is generally treated as Irish in origin. The older explanations connect it with a Gaelic personal name or byname built from elements glossed as meaning “unhappy” or “unlucky” and “offspring” or “child,” giving a sense like “unhappy child.” Some 19th-century writers also speculated about a connection with Daniel, but that derivation is less secure and is best treated cautiously.
History
The name is found in Irish records, especially in the north of Ireland, and later appears in English-language sources in several spellings. In older scholarship it is grouped with forms such as Donnegan, Dunnegan, Dunigan, and Dongan, reflecting shifting Anglicizations of the same or related Gaelic names. It spread with Irish migration and is now found in Ireland, Britain, North America, and other English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Woulfe and other early Irish surname scholars list Donegan alongside a cluster of similar spellings, showing how fluid the name was in English records before spelling became standardized.
From the historical record
“(3 "OonriASAin, Donnegan, Dun- negan, Donegan, Dunigan, Dongan, Diingan, Duncan, etc. 0 "DonriAiTi, Donnan.”
— Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish names and surnames