Phelan
An Irish surname from Ó Faoláin, meaning a descendant of Faolán, a name based on the word for “wolf.”
The #3,382 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 29,232 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Phelan is the Anglicized form of Irish Ó Faoláin, meaning “descendant of Faolán.” The personal name Faolán is a diminutive of faol, “wolf,” so the underlying sense is something like “little wolf.” Older sources sometimes spell the name with P, W, or F in English, because the Irish initial sound was often rendered differently by English scribes.
History
Historical surname books note that Phelan and Whelan were often used interchangeably in Ireland, reflecting the same Irish original. The name is especially associated with Irish families in Leinster and Munster, and it appears repeatedly in 19th-century Irish census and registration records. English-language spellings varied widely before modern standardization, producing forms such as Phelan, Whelan, Felan, and Fylan.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In Irish, the same underlying surname could be heard in a way that made it sound like it began with an H sound, which is one reason English spellings drifted so far apart.
From the historical record
“fesa(u)nt, Fr.faisan, Latphasiam] PHELAN for O'Phelan, q.v. Phelip PHELIP \ forms (chiefly West. Eng.) of Philip, PHELP J q.v. king Phelip of France. — ' Roh. Glouc. Chron. : Wm. Conq., 493 (7786). PHELIPS”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)