[Surname] Re: The Surname Callahan
by Jim Young (guest)
2/8/2006, 6:49 AM
Irish, O Ceallachain, descendant of a man named Ceallachan. This is the forename Ceallach with a diminutive ending. Ceallach is believed to mean "strife" or "conflict", or something along those lines. From Ceallach you get the name O Ceallaigh, now O'Kelly, or just Kelly. The O'Callaghans belong particularly to County Cork. There is another surname, O Ceillachain, which because of its similarity has sometimes become Callaghan. That name's homeland is in Northern Ireland.