The family name Regan, along with its cognates O'Regan, O Regan, Reagan, and O'Reagan, is an Anglicized form of the Irish

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

Ó Riagáin or Ó Ríogáin, from Ua Riagáin. The meaning is likely to have originated in ancient

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

''ri'' "sovereign, king" and the

diminutive A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A (abbreviated ) is a word-formati ...

suffix ''-in''; thus "the king's child" or "big king". The name was borne by two distinct families: one seated in

Meath Meath may refer to: General * County Meath, Republic of Ireland **Kingdom of Meath, medieval precursor of the county ** List of kings of Meath ** Meath GAA, including the intercounty football and hurling teams ** Diocese of Meath, in the Roman Cath ...

, the other in Thomond. The O'Regans of Meath were a branch of the southern Ui Neill and one of the

four Tribes of Tara The Four Tribes of Tara was an alliance of powerful clans that consisted of the O'Harts, O'Kelly's, O'Connolly, and the O'Regan. The princes of Tara were also styled princes of Brega, consisting of territory in the modern day counties Meath, Louth ...

. Before the Anglo-Norman invasion, they were lords of south

Breagh The Kings of Brega were rulers of Brega, a petty kingdom north of Dublin in medieval Ireland. Overview Brega took its name from ' ('), meaning "fine plain", in modern County Meath, County Louth and County Dublin, Ireland. They formed part of the ...

and the north of present-day County Dublin. They took a leading part in the wars against the

Danes Danes ( da, danskere, ) are a North Germanic ethnic group and nationality native to Denmark and a modern nation identified with the country of Denmark. This connection may be ancestral, legal, historical, or cultural. Danes generally regard t ...

. In the year 1029,

Mathghamhain Ó Riagáin Mathghamhain mac Cian was an Eóganacht Raithlind nobleman and maternal grandson of Brian Boru. He was the son of Cian mac Máelmuaid and his wife Sadhbh, who was a daughter of the High King Brian Boru. He died at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 f ...

, king of Breagh, captured the king of Dublin, Amhlaoibh son of Sitric, releasing him only upon payment of an enormous ransom, which included the celebrated Sword of Carlus. The O'Regans were dispossessed soon after the invasion and dispersed through Ireland. The O'Regans of Thomond are a

Dalcassian The Dalcassians ( ga, Dál gCais ) are a Gaelic Irish clan, generally accepted by contemporary scholarship as being a branch of the Déisi Muman, that became very powerful in Ireland during the 10th century. Their genealogies claimed descent f ...

family said to be descended from Riagán, son of Donncuan, brother of Brian Boru, and now numerous throughout Ireland. The unisex forename Regan is likely to have derived sometime later from the Latin '' Regina'' "queen", the feminine form of ''Rex'' (stem ''reg-'') "king", which is also the source of the name ''Reginald''.

Persons with the surname

Bill Regan (disambiguation) Bill Regan may refer to: *Bill Regan (baseball) (1899–1968), American professional baseball second baseman *Bill Regan (ice hockey) (1908–1995), Canadian professional ice hockey player * Bill Regan (footballer) (1873–1934), English profession ...

* Bob Regan (born 1947), American country music songwriter *

Brian Regan (disambiguation) Brian Regan may refer to: *Brian Regan (comedian) (born 1958), American stand-up comedian *Brian Regan (actor) (born 1957), British actor * Brian Patrick Regan (born 1962), American intelligence officer *Brian Regan (writer) Brian Regan is an ...

, several people * Bridget Regan (born 1982), American actress * Charles Tate Regan (1878–1943), British ichthyologist *

Daithí Regan Daithí Regan (born 1968 in Birr, County Offaly) is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Birr and was a member of the Offaly senior inter-county team between 1989 and 1999. Regan currently works as a hurling ...

(born 1968), Irish hurler *

David M. Regan David M. Regan is a Canadian psychologist, currently a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at York University and a Fellow of the Optical Society, American Academy of Optometry, Royal Society of Canada, and Canadian Psychological Association. From 1 ...

(born 1935), Canadian psychologist * Donald Regan (1918–2003), U.S. Treasury Secretary and Chief of Staff to President Ronald Reagan * Edward Regan (1930–2014), American politician and government bureaucrat *

Eugene Regan Eugene Alexander Regan (born 12 June 1952) is an Irish judge who has served as a Judge of the European Court of Justice since October 2015. He previously served as a Senator for the Agricultural Panel from 2007 to 2011. Early and personal life ...

(born 1952), Irish barrister and politician * Fionn Regan (born 1981), Irish folk musician *

Frank S. Regan Frank Stewart Regan (October 3, 1862–July 25, 1944) was an American businessman and politician. Biography Regan was born in Rockford, Illinois and graduated from Rockford High School. He was involved with the Rockford Abstract Company. R ...

(1862–1944), American politician and businessman * Geoff Regan (born 1959), Canadian politician and federal cabinet minister, son of Gerald Regan * Gerald Regan (1928–2019), 19th premier of Nova Scotia, father of Geoff, Laura and Nancy Regan * Jack Regan (1912–1988), Australian rules footballer *

James Regan (disambiguation) James Regan may refer to: * James Regan (cricketer) (born 1994), English cricketer * Jim Regan (rugby), Welsh rugby union and rugby league footballer 1930s * James Regan (hurler) (born 1991), Irish hurler * James Regan (politician) James Thomas ...

* Jayne Regan (1909–2000), American actress * Jessica Regan (born 1982), Irish actress * Joan Regan (1928–2013), English singer *

John Regan (disambiguation) John Regan may refer to: * John Regan (bassist) * John Keating Regan John Keating Regan (March 26, 1911 – March 9, 1987) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. Education a ...

* Judith Regan (born 1953), book publisher * Julianne Regan (born 1962), English singer, songwriter and musician, lead singer of the band All About Eve * Kelly Regan (born 1961), Canadian politician, wife of Geoff Regan *

Kenneth M. Regan Kenneth Mills Regan (March 6, 1891 – August 15, 1959) was an American businessman, World War I veteran, and politician who served four terms as a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Texas from 1947 to 1955. Early ...

(1891–1959), American politician * Larry Regan (1930–2009), Canadian National Hockey League player, coach, manager and executive *

Laura Regan Laura Regan (born October 17, 1974) is a Canadian actress. She has had leading and supporting roles in the films ''Saving Jessica Lynch'' (2003), ''My Little Eye'' (2002), ''They (2002 film), They'' (2002), ''Dead Silence'' (2007), and ''Atlas ...

(born 1977), Canadian actress, daughter of Gerald Regan * Linda Regan (born 1949), English actress who appeared in the British TV show ''Hi-de-Hi!'' * Mark Regan (born 1972), English rugby union player *

Mike Regan (disambiguation) Mike or Michael Regan may refer to: * Mike Regan (baseball) (1887–1961), American Major League Baseball pitcher * Mike Regan (lacrosse) (born 1978), American retired lacrosse player * Mike Regan (politician) (born 1961), American politician in Pe ...

* Nancy Regan (born 1966), Canadian news anchor, journalist and TV personality, daughter of Gerald Regan *

Patrick Regan (disambiguation) Patrick Regan may refer to: *Patrick M. Regan Patrick M. Regan (born September 1, 1956) is a professor of Political Science and Peace Studies at University of Notre Dame. His research focuses on International Relations and Conflict Management. ...

* Phil Regan (actor) (1906–1996) * Phil Regan (baseball) (born 1937), American Major League Baseball pitcher *

Robert P. Regan Robert P. Regan (January 4, 1936 – May 3, 1995) was an American politician and businessman. Regan was born in Chicago, Illinois. He went to Thornton Community College and to Illinois Wesleyan University. Regan was involved with the insuranc ...

(1936–1995), American businessman and politician * Seamus O'Regan (born 1971), Canadian politician and former television personality * Terry Regan (born 1958), Australian former rugby league footballer * Tim O'Regan, American musician * Tom Regan (1938–2017), American philosopher, animal rights activist and academic *

Tony Óg Regan Tony Óg Regan (born 14 November 1983) is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Rahoon-Newcastle and with the Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West ...

(born 1983), Irish hurler *

Trish Regan Patricia Ann Regan (born December 13, 1972) is a conservative American television talk show host and author. She hosted ''Trish Regan Primetime'' on the Fox Business Network from 2015 to 2020. Regan was previously a television host on Bloomber ...

(born 1972), American broadcast journalist and author * Vincent Regan (born 1965), British actor

Persons with the given name

* Regan Hagar, American rock drummer * Regan Harrison (born 1977), Australian retired swimmer *

Regan Hartley Regan Elizabeth Hartley (born 1990) is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Dover, New Hampshire. She was crowned Miss New Hampshire 2011 and represented her state in the Miss America 2012 pageant with an anti-bullying platform. Hartley has ...

(born 1990), Miss New Hampshire for 2011 * Regan King (born 1980), New Zealand rugby union footballer * Regan Lamble (born 1991), Australian racewalker *

Regan Lauscher Regan Lauscher (born February 21, 1980 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) is a Canadian luger. Competing in three Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of tenth in the women's singles event at Turin in 2006. Her second-place finish at the Luge W ...

(born 1980), Canadian luger * Regan Mizrahi (born 2000), American child actor *

Regan Poole Regan Leslie Poole (born 18 June 1998) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a right back for club Lincoln City. He previously represented Wales at U21 level. Early life Poole was born in Cardiff. Club career Newport County Poole ...

(born 1998), Welsh footballer *

Regan Russell On June 19, 2020, Canadian animal rights activist and protester Regan Russell was run over and killed by an animal transporter after a demonstration outside Sofina Foods Inc. subsidiary Fearman's Pork Inc., a pig slaughterhouse in Burlington, On ...

(1955–2020), Canadian animal rights activist *

Regan Smith The family name Regan, along with its cognates O'Regan, O Regan, Reagan, and O'Reagan, is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Riagáin or Ó Ríogáin, from Ua Riagáin. The meaning is likely to have originated in ancient Gaelic ''ri'' " ...

(born 1983), American stock car racing driver * Regan Upshaw (born 1975), American retired National Football League player * Regan Bunnell (born in 2009), Canada Ontario news in 2020

Fictional characters

* Regan (King Lear)">Regan_Bunnell.html" ;"title="* Regan Bunnell">* Regan Bunnell (born in 2009), Canada Ontario news in 2020

Fictional characters

* Regan (King Lear), a daughter of King Lear in Shakespeare's play ''King Lear'' * Regan MacNeil, the central character of the novel ''The Exorcist'' * Regan O'Neill, the narrator and viewpoint character of the novel ''Luna (Peters novel), Luna'' by Julie Anne Peters * Regan Wyngarde, also known as Lady Mastermind, a Marvel Comics villain *

Jack Regan (The Sweeney) ''The Sweeney'' is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London. It stars John Thaw as Detective Insp ...

, protagonist of the British television police drama ''

The Sweeney ''The Sweeney'' is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London. It stars John Thaw as Detective Ins ...

'' * Regan Hamleigh, character in '' The Pillars of the Earth'' novel and miniseries * Rory Regan in the DC Comics Universe * Charlotte Sternwood Regan The Big Sleep * Regan Abbott, character in the movie A Quiet Place

References

{{given name, type=both Surnames of Irish origin Surnames of Scottish origin English-language surnames Surnames from given names

Persons with the surname

Persons with the given name

Fictional characters

Fictional characters

See also

References