3,004 Global ROHAN Family Members

ROHAN Family History

This distinguished and long-established surname is of early medieval Irish origin, and is an Anglicized form of the Old Gaelic "O'Ruadhachain, O'Ruadhain", descendant of Ruadh(ach)ain, a personal byname from "ruadh", red, and originally given to one with red hair or a ruddy complexion. Traditionally, Irish family names are taken from the heads of tribes, revered elders, or some illustrious warrior, and are usually prefixed by "Mac" denoting "son of", or "O", grandson, male descendant of. The "O'Ruadh(ach)ain" sept belonged to the Munster counties of Clare and Limerick, with branches in the Connacht counties of Mayo and Sligo. The County Clare Roughans were an ecclesiastical family connected with monasteries as far afield as Swords and Lismore...