McGowan Surname Meaning & Origin
What the McGowan last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the McGowan last name
Meaning of the McGowan last name: son of the smith. McGowan comes from the Gaelic Mac an Ghabhann, "son of the smith". Smiths held an honoured place in early Irish society, and the name arose in several areas, above all Cavan, spreading later to Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim. A curious detail: in parts of Ulster the name was translated into English as Smith, so many Smiths and McGowans share roots. It is also common in Scotland.
Arms associated with the McGowan name
Irish heraldry often features hands, trees and animals drawn from old stories, and the arms associated with the McGowan name belong to that tradition.
Get your full McGowan family history
This is only a glimpse of the McGowan story. The full McGowan history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted McGowan coat of arms. Get the full McGowan report.
McGowan name FAQ
What does the McGowan name mean?
Son of the smith. Common variants include MacGowan, Magowan, Smith.
Where does the McGowan surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, Scotland and England.
Is there a McGowan coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized McGowan coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.