Flanagan

Flanagan is a surname of Irish origin. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó Flannagáin (or Ó Flannagáin), from an old personal name. The root flann in Gaelic is often associated with brightness or splendor and is commonly linked to hair color; the name historically denoted a descendant of someone named Flannagán. The surname is widely found in Ireland and has spread to the United States, Canada, Britain, and other countries through emigration and settlement.

Flanagan may also refer to places. The best-known example is Flanagan, Illinois, a village in Livingston County. The name is used for other small communities and for various townships and geographic features in North America, as well as appearing in historic and contemporary maps and records.

In addition to its use as a surname and place name, Flanagan appears in genealogical and historical contexts. It is encountered in archival documents, census records, and biographical sources related to families bearing the name and to communities where the name is found.

Overall, Flanagan is a historically rooted Irish surname that has become a visible placename and an element of cultural and genealogical reference in multiple countries.