BEHAN
Behan is an Irish surname of Gaelic origin, derived from the term Ó Beacháin, signifying “descendant of Beachán”. The personal name Beachán in turn comes from the word beach, meaning bee; consequently the name is believed to have originally referred to an individual involved with bees or beekeeping.
The earliest recorded spelling of the family name is that of Hugh O Beaghan, who served as a bishop in Iniscathy, County Limerick, in the year 1188 during the reign of King Henry The Builder of Churches (1154‑1189). In the medieval period the family was notably connected with the counties of Kildare, Offaly and Laois. Two members of the sept, Conor O Behan (died 1376) and Donal O Behan (died 1411), are recorded in the Annals of Loch Ce and the Four Masters as eminent historians. The prefix O is now rarely used; current records in Ireland include baptisms and marriages such as the baptism of Thomas, son of Cornelius Behan and Mary Leahy in 1833, and the marriage of John Behan and Mary Grandy in 1845.
The name has been rendered in several variants, including Bhean, Bean, O Beagain, O Bheagain and other phonetically similar forms. Historically it has been most prevalent in County Clare and County Galway, with particular clusters in the Scarriff district to the south‑west of Clare and in Kilnamona to the east. In recent centuries it has been adopted by members of other septs, such as the O Dorney, when marrying outside their group. The surname can now be found across the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Canada and South Africa; it is also present in England and Scotland. The use of the name as a first name in contemporary culture, for instance by American author and poet Shane Behan, reflects its enduring association with Irish heritage.
A prominent modern bearer of the name is the playwright Brendan Behan (1923‑1964), whose works have secured the surname’s place in contemporary literary history. The distribution and spelling variations of the name reflect the geographical movements of its bearers over the centuries, with each alteration signalling a particular location or period of adoption. The surname remains a distinct marker of Irish ancestry and cultural legacy.
Typical given names associated with the Behan surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Ann
- Anya
- Catherine
- Emma
- Karen
- Laura
- Louise
- Margaret
- Maria
- Mary
- Michelle
- Pamela
- Sarah
- Susan
- Vicky
Similar and related surnames
- Bahan
- Bahen
- Bahena
- Bahin
- Bahon
- Baughn
- Bauhahn
- Bayhan
- Beaham
- Beahan
- Beahon
- Bean
- Beane
- Beani
- Beano
- Beany
- Beehan
- Beene
- Beha
- Behag
- Behal
- Beham
- Behanan
- Behar
- Behean
- Behegan
- Behen
- Behenna
- Behennah
- Behin
- Behon
- Beyan
- Beyham
- Beyhan
- Bhan
- Bhana
- Bhania
- Bhanu
- Bhuian
- Bhunnoo
- Bhunu
- Bihan
- Bihani
- Bihun
- Boahen
- Boahene
- Bohan
- Bohana
- Bohane
- Bohanna
- Bohen
- Bohenna
- Bohin
- Bohon
- Bohun
- Boohan
- Boohene
- Boughhen
- Bouhan
- Bouhanna
- Bowhan
- Bowhen
- Boyhan
- Buahin
- Buhain
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Behan in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 1,623 people named Behan in the UK. That makes it roughly the 5,006th most common surname in Britain. Around 25 in a million people in Britain are named Behan.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Behan
- Tom Behan - Historian (1957 to 2010)
- Connor Behan - Motorcycle racer
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.