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Help[Surname] Ragans
I know it's a variant of Regan, but can anyone tell me the origin? Regan is Irish, I know, but Ragans sounds more English to me. Any thoughts/answers?
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"....A simple I love you means more than money...."- Frank Sinatra
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"....A simple I love you means more than money...."- Frank Sinatra
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My Irish name book says...
The name is very numerous in Ireland, but found mainly in County Cork. In Irish, it is Ó Riagáin (likely a diminutive of "rí" meaning king ...same root as royal or regal).
They were a sept of Meath (now a county in the midlands), the "royal county" where the ancient holy site of Tara is located (the ancient home of the high-king of Ireland). This clan was dispersed during the Norman Invasion and therefore are found throughout Ireland, though mainly in the north of Munster province (Thormond) of which northern Cork is a part.
The pronunciation in Munster is Réagán which accounts for the pronunciation of President Reagan's name. I would add that the variants in spelling often reflect the pronunciation and therefore are irrelevant.
Ragan is simply a more phonetic pronunciation of Regan, Reagan, etc.
The name is very numerous in Ireland, but found mainly in County Cork. In Irish, it is Ó Riagáin (likely a diminutive of "rí" meaning king ...same root as royal or regal).
They were a sept of Meath (now a county in the midlands), the "royal county" where the ancient holy site of Tara is located (the ancient home of the high-king of Ireland). This clan was dispersed during the Norman Invasion and therefore are found throughout Ireland, though mainly in the north of Munster province (Thormond) of which northern Cork is a part.
The pronunciation in Munster is Réagán which accounts for the pronunciation of President Reagan's name. I would add that the variants in spelling often reflect the pronunciation and therefore are irrelevant.
Ragan is simply a more phonetic pronunciation of Regan, Reagan, etc.
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