McKean Family Crest, Coat of Arms & McKean Name Origin

Get Free Updates about Family Crests, New Information, Stories, Special Offers and more with our Occasional Newsletter Updates

* indicates required

Email Address *

First Name *

Last Name

Origin of the Name McKean

The McKean family history was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. The name McKean can be derived from the MacEain sept of Ulster but can also be derived from the Gaelic O'Cathain. There were two great septs of O'Cathain. The early anglicized form of the name was O'Cahan, but in modern times the forms Kean, McKean, Keane, Kane, O'Kane, MacCloskey and MacEvinney are most often used. The families of Keenaght and Coleraine were a powerful and important sept. Once established there they retained their ascendancy in the County, which is now County Derry, until they were ruined by the Plantation of Ulster . Many of the Sept appear in the Annals from the year 1170 onwards. The MacCloskeys of County Derry are another branch of the family, being descended from Closkey O'Kane. Another branch anglicized their name as MacEvinney or MacAvinny, their ancestor being Aibhne O'Cathain.