McGowan is an Irish and Scottish surname. It is an Anglicization of the Irish Mac Gabhann and Scottish surname ''Mac Gobhann''. Belonging to the

Uí Echach Cobo Iveagh ( ; ) is the name of several historical territorial divisions in what is now County Down, Northern Ireland. Originally it was a Gaelic Irish territory, ruled by the ''Uí Echach Cobo'' and part of the overkingdom of Ulaid. From the 12th c ...

, located in modern-day

County Down County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 531,665. It borders County Antrim to th ...

in the east of

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...

, they produced several over-kings of

Ulaid Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or Ulaidh ( Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include Ulidia, which is the Latin form of Ulaid, and in ...

. By the late 12th century, the English had expelled the McGowans to

Tír Chonaill Tyrconnell (), also spelled Tirconnell, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Donegal, which has sometimes been called ''County Tyrconnell''. At times it also included parts of County Fermanagh, Cou ...

(now largely modern-day

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrcon ...

) in the west of Ulster.

Meaning

As noted further in source by

John O'Hart John O'Hart (1824–1902) was an Irish genealogist. He was born in Crossmolina, County Mayo, Ireland. A committed Roman Catholic and Irish nationalist, O'Hart had originally planned to become a priest but instead spent two years as a polic ...

, though not an occupational surname, MacGowan evolves as an Anglicization of the original

Gaelic language The Goidelic or Gaelic languages ( ga, teangacha Gaelacha; gd, cànanan Goidhealach; gv, çhengaghyn Gaelgagh) form one of the two groups of Insular Celtic languages, the other being the Brittonic languages. Goidelic languages historicall ...

personal description or nickname ''gobha'', meaning "blacksmith". For this reason, the surnames of some septs of the MacGowan are alternately anglicised to Smythe or Smith. Mac, which may appear in anglicised contraction as Mc, sometimes written M^c or, further, abbreviated M', means in English "son", but, when an element used to form a

patronymic in its usage of "They have no share in the promise made to the sons of Adam“, that is "descended" of a thereafter personal named or nicknamed (sometimes by description as in Gaelic language Duinneshliebhe, anglicised

Donlevy Donlevy is a firstname and surname of Irish origin. Also spelt as MacDonlevy, Donleavy, Dunleavy, MacAleavey, and McAlevey, it derives from the Irish ''Mac Duinnshléibhe'', meaning "son of Donn of the mountain". ''Ó Duinnshléibhe'' is a varia ...

, "brown haired chief of the mountain fort", Gaelic language gobha "the smithy", anglicised Gowan, or the Gaelic language Ultaigh, anglicised Nulty, "the Ulidian") founding ancestor or sire of a Gaelic clan. The surname Mac Gowan, therefore, translates from Gaelic language to English language as "descended of the smith".

Scottish Origins

In Scotland, Mac an Ghobhain was anglicized to MacGowan. Mac Gobha, later McGow, was also made MacGowan. As the maker of arms and armor, the smith was an important hereditary position in each clan and there were MacGowans, or MacGouns, found throughout the Highlands. The two most important septs, however, were the MacGowans of Clan Donald (only to be found in Antrim and South Uist) and those of Clan MacPherson. There was also a Clan McGowan noted in fourteenth century Nithsdale in Dumfriesshire, and in Sterlingshire there was an old family of MacGowans of uncertain origin.

Irish Origins

In Ireland the name MacGowan refers to an eponymous ancestor, Aengus an Gobhain ("Angus the Smith") or Áengus Goibnenn mac Fergus Gallen mheic Tibraide Tirech, who was a High King of Ulster and the son of Fergus Galeng, son of

Tipraiti Tireach Tipraiti Tireach (136 — 187) spelled with numerous different variations such as ''Tibraite'', ''Tipraite'', ''Tiobraide'', ''Thilbruidhe'' and ''Tiobradhe'', was a Celtic legendary King of Ulster according to the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' ...

. The MacGowans were formerly chiefs in Dalariada, a principality in eastern Ulidia. However, they were driven to Donegal, Cavan, and Sligo in the 12th century due to English invasions in eastern Ireland. The MacGowans who settled in Sligo had their home at Castlegowan in Sligo, and thereafter a great number of them moved to Rossinver Parish in Leitrim. This family gave birth to many eminent ecclesiastics and literary men, and among the latter class may be mentioned Tadg Mac-an-Gowan, chief historiographer to the O'Connors towards the close of the 14th century ; Felan M'an- Gowan by whom, assisted by the O'Dugans of East Galway, was compiled the " Book of the O'Kellys," commonly called the " Book of Hy-Many ;" and the no less distin guished ecclesiastical writer, Angus Ceile De M'anGowan, author of " Lives of the Irish Saints," and other tracts, who lived in the third quarter of the eighth century, and of whom the following pedigree is preserved.A History of the Clanna-Rory, or Rudricians by Richard F. Cronnelly, pg. 28 As for the MacGowans who remained in the north east of Ireland (in Antrim specifically)), this family would later be associated with the MacDonnell Chieftains, who were a branch of the Scottish Clan Donald.

Notable people

USS McGowan (DD-678) at sea, circa in 1945

Alistair McGowan Alistair Charles McGowan (born 24 November 1964) is an English impressionist, comic, actor, singer and writer best known to British audiences for '' The Big Impression'' (formerly ''Alistair McGowan's Big Impression''), which was, for four year ...

(born 1964), British impressionist * Andrew McGowan (born 1961), Australian priest and scholar * Angela McGowan, Australian archeologist * Archibald C. McGowan (1822–1893), New York politician * Baron McGowan, the title of four Scottish barons * Bill McGowan (1896–1954), American baseball umpire * Brandon McGowan (born 1983), American football player *

Brian McGowan (disambiguation) Brian McGowan may refer to: * Brian McGowan (businessman) (born 1945), co-founder of Williams Holdings * Brian McGowan (footballer) (born 1938), former Australian rules footballer * Brian McGowan (politician) Brian McGowan (23 September 1935 – ...

several people including: :*

Brian McGowan (businessman) Brian Dennis McGowan (born 1945) is the co-founder of Williams Holdings, one of the United Kingdom's largest conglomerates. Career Educated at Isleworth Grammar School, Brian McGowan initially trained at a firm of accountants in London.

(born 1945), co-founder of Williams Holdings :* Brian McGowan (footballer) (born 1938), Australian rules footballer :* Brian McGowan (politician) (1935–1994), member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly * Charles M. McGowan (1923–2013), American businessman and politician * Donald W. McGowan (1899–1967), U.S. Army Major General * Dustin McGowan (born 1982), North American baseball player *

Dylan McGowan Dylan John McGowan (born 6 August 1991) is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Hamilton Academical, on loan from Kilmarnock. Early life McGowan was born in Adelaide into a Scottish family from Glasgow. He is the ...

(born 1991), Australian soccer player * Gavin McGowan (born 1976), English footballer *

Gerald S. McGowan Gerald Stephen "Gerry" McGowan (born September 3, 1946 Birmingham, Michigan) is an American lawyer, wireless industry entrepreneur, and diplomat. He was appointed United States Ambassador to Portugal on November 10, 1997, and was sworn in by Vice ...

(born 1946), United States Ambassador to Portugal, 1998–2001 *

J. P. McGowan John Paterson McGowan (February 24, 1880 – March 26, 1952) was a pioneering Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood actor and director and occasionally a screenwriter and Film producer, producer. McGowan remains the only Australian to have been ma ...

(1880–1952), Australian-American actor, screenwriter, and director *

James McGowen James Sinclair Taylor McGowen (16 August 1855 – 7 April 1922) was an Australian politician. He served as premier of New South Wales from 1910 to 1913, the first member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) to hold the position, and was a key f ...

(1855–1922), Premier of New South Wales 1910–1913 *

Jewel McGowan Jewel McGowan (1921-1962) is best known as a dancer of Lindy Hop, a form of swing dance, in the 1940s and 1950s. She also danced in other, non-swing films, and with modern jazz dance pioneer Jack Cole. She is known among dance aficionados as the f ...

(1921–1962), American dancer * Joe McGowan (born 1944), Irish historian * John McGowan (disambiguation), several people, including :* Jack McGowan (1894–1977), Broadway writer, performer and producer :* John McGowan (footballer), Scottish footballer :*

Jack McGowan (golfer) John W. "Jack" McGowan (December 18, 1930 – February 15, 2001) was an American professional golfer. McGowan was born in Concord, New Hampshire. He turned professional in 1954 and joined the PGA Tour in 1961. He played on the PGA Tour through ...

(1930–2001), American professional golfer :*

John McGowan (Medal of Honor) John McGowan (born 1831, date of death unknown) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip. Biograp ...

(1831–?), American Civil War sailor and Medal of Honor recipient :* John McGowan (Ontario politician) (1845–1922), Ontario MPP and member of the Canadian House of Commons :*

John McGowan (professor) John McGowan (1953-- ) is the John W. and Anna H. Hanes Distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.McGowan, J. (2007). ''American Liberalism: An Interpretation of Our Time''. Cha ...

(born 1953), academic at the University of North Carolina, author, editor :*

John Paterson McGowan (1880–1952), Hollywood actor and director :*

John Reid McGowan John Reid "Gentleman Jack" McGowan (4 October 1872 – 18 July 1912) was an Australian boxing champion. During his long career in the ring he fought over 110 battles, and was the first fighter to win three Australian titles at different weights, ...

(1872–1912), Australian boxing champion * Jonas H. McGowan (1837–1909), US Representative from Michigan * Kathleen McGowan (born 1963), American novelist * Keith McGowan (born 1943), Australian radio presenter * Kyric McGowan (born 1999), American football player * Margaret M. McGowan (born 1931), scholar * Mark McGowan (disambiguation), several people :*

Mark McGowan Mark McGowan (born 13 July 1967) is an Australian politician, the 30th premier of Western Australia, and the leader of the Western Australian branch of the Labor Party. McGowan was born and raised in Newcastle, New South Wales. He attended t ...

(born 1967), Australian politician and Premier of Western Australia. :*

Mark McGowan (Gaelic footballer) Mark McGowan (born 31 May 1988) is an Irish former Gaelic footballer who played for St Eunan's GAA, St Eunan's and, at all levels, the Donegal county football team, Donegal county team. Known for his defensive play, he could also play further f ...

(born 1988), Donegal player :*

Mark McGowan (performance artist) Mark McGowan (born 9 June 1964) is a British street artist, performance artist, film maker and prominent public protester who has gone by the artist name Chunky Mark and more recently The Artist Taxi Driver. By profession, McGowan is a London ta ...

(born 1964), British protester *

Martin McGowan (disambiguation) Martin McGowan may refer to: * Martin McGowan (footballer) (born 1962), Scottish footballer * Martin McGowan (Irish politician) (died 1958), Irish politician and teacher * Martin J. McGowan Jr. (1920–2009), American politician and newspape ...

, several people, including :*

Martin McGowan (footballer) Martin McGowan (born 11 August 1962) is a Scottish former footballer who played for Dumbarton, Clydebank, Stranraer Stranraer ( , in Scotland also ; gd, An t-Sròn Reamhar ), also known as The Toon, is a town in Dumfries and Galloway, Sco ...

(born 1962), Scottish footballer :*

Martin McGowan (Irish politician) Martin Bernard McGowan (7 November 1890 – 14 June 1958) was an Irish politician and teacher. He was born in Aghamore, Ballyshannon, County Leitrim, to parents James McGowan, national school principal, and Margaret Jane McGowan (née Gallagher ...

(died 1958), Irish politician and teacher :* Martin J. McGowan, Jr. (1920–2009), American politician and newspaper editor *

Ned McGowan (lawyer) Edward "Ned" McGowan (March 12, 1813 – December 8, 1893) was an American lawyer, Pennsylvania assemblyman, Judge of the California Court of Quarter Sessions, poet, Fraser Canyon gold seeker, adventurer, assistant sergeant-at-arms in the Un ...

(1812–1892), North American Gold rush pioneer *

Pat McGowan Patrick Ray McGowan (born November 27, 1954) is an American professional golf instructor and former PGA Tour player. McGowan was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He attended Brigham Young University. He played on the golf team with fellow PGA ...

(born 1954), American golfer * Patrick K. McGowan, American politician * P. J. McGowan (born 1950s), Irish Gaelic football manager and administrator * Richard McGowan (1933–2007), American explorer, mountaineer, and entrepreneur * Robert McGowan (disambiguation), several people, including :* Robert A. McGowan (1901–1955), American screenwriter and director :* Robert F. McGowan (1882–1955), American film director and producer :*

Robert Barrington-Ward Robert McGowan Barrington-Ward (23 February 1891 – 29 February 1948) was an English barrister and journalist who was editor of ''The Times'' from 1941 until 1948. Family and early life Robert was the fourth son of Mark James Barrington-War ...

Robert McGowan Barrington-Ward (1891–1948), journalist :* Robert McGowan Coventry (1855–1914), Scottish painter :* Robert McGowan Dickie (c. 1784 – 1854), Nova Scotia legislator :* Robert McGowan Littlejohn (1890–1982), American major general *

Rose McGowan Rósa Arianna "Rose" McGowan (born September 5, 1973) is an American actress. After her film debut in a brief role in the comedy '' Encino Man'' (1992), McGowan achieved wider recognition for her performance in the dark comedy ''The Doom Generat ...

(born 1973), American actress * Ross McGowan (born 1982), English golfer *

Ryan McGowan Ryan James McGowan (born 15 August 1989) is an Australian footballer who plays as a defender for St Johnstone. He has previously played for Para Hills Knights, Heart of Midlothian, Shandong Luneng Taishan, Dundee United, Henan Jianye, Guizh ...

(born 1989), Australian soccer player * Samuel McGowan (admiral) (1870–1934), admiral in the United States Navy *

Samuel McGowan (general) Samuel McGowan (October 19, 1819 – August 9, 1897) was an American military officer, lawyer, politician, judge, and a Brigadier general in the Confederate army during the American Civil War. Born in South Carolina, he commanded a brigade in ...

(1819–1897), Confederate general during the American Civil War * Samuel Henry McGowan (c. 1844 – 1921), gold mining entrepreneur in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia *

Steve McGowan (disambiguation) Steve McGowan is a rugby league player. Steve McGowan may also refer to: * Stephen McGowan, former chief financial officer of Sun Microsystems * Stephen McGowan (footballer) (born 1984), Scottish footballer * Stephen McGowan (kidnap victim), South ...

, several people, including :*

Stephen McGowan Stephen McGowan is the former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Sun Microsystems. He retired from this position in June 2006. McGowan attended Northeastern University where he earned a B.S. in finance, followed by an MBA from Loyola University ...

, chief financial officer of Sun Microsystems :*

Stephen McGowan (footballer) Stephen McGowan (born 24 September 1984) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a striker for junior side Neilston. Career McGowan was a product of Dundee United's youth development programme and made his only appearance in the final game of ...

(born 1984) Scottish (soccer) footballer :* Stephen McGowan (kidnap victim), South African and British citizen, kidnapped in Mali :*

Steve McGowan Steve McGowan is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played at club level for Bradford Bulls, Bradford Northern, North Sydney Bears, North Sydney and Wakefield Trinity, as a . Playing career Bra ...

, English rugby league player * Taj McGowan (born 1997), American football player * Tom McGowan (born 1959), American actor * Thomas F. McGowan (1925–1997), New York politician and judge *

Zach McGowan Zach McGowan (born May 5, 1980) is an American film, television and voice actor. He is known for his roles in television series '' Shameless'' as Jody, ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' as Anton Ivanov/The Superior, '' Black Sails'' as Charles Vane, an ...

(born 1980), actor, producer, voice-over artist MacGowan *

Alice MacGowan Alice L. MacGowan (December 10, 1858 – March 10, 1947) was an American writer. Early years She was born in Perrysburg, Ohio, the daughter of John Encil MacGowan and Malvina Marie Johnson. The family moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where her ...

(1858–1947), American writer *

Shane MacGowan Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan (born 25 December 1957) is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead singer and songwriter of Celtic punk band the Pogues. He was also a member of the Nipple Erectors and Shane MacGo ...

(born 1957), Irish musician * Foster MacGowan Voorhees (1856–1927), American politician, governor of New Jersey Gowan * Hunter Gowan John Hunter Gowan II (c. 1727 – 1824), Irish Protestant politician and militiaman *

Lawrence Gowan Lawrence Henry Gowan (born 22 November 1956) is a Scottish born Canadian singer and keyboardist. He was born in Glasgow and raised in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, Ontario. Gowan has been both a solo artist and lead vocalist and keyboardi ...

(born 1956), Canadian musician who used the stage name Gowan * Ogle Robert Gowan (1803–1876), Canadian-Irish politician, son of Hunter Gowan * Peter Gowan (1946–2009), UK socialist academic

Other uses

* USS ''McGowan'' (DD-678), a US Navy destroyer

References