Scanlans

Scanlans is a surname of Irish origin. It is the plural form used to refer to multiple individuals or families bearing the surname Scanlan. The name derives from the Gaelic Ó Scannláin, meaning 'descendant of Scannlán', with Scannlán a Gaelic given name.

Historically, the name appears in medieval Gaelic records. In anglicized forms it is written as Scanlan or Scanlon, among others. In the 19th and 20th centuries, people with the surname Scanlan and its variants emigrated from Ireland to North America, Britain, Australia, and elsewhere, establishing diaspora communities where the name remains present today.

Variant spellings include Scanlan and Scanlon; Scanlans is primarily used when referring to multiple individuals or a family group. The name is most strongly associated with Ireland, particularly regions in the west such as Connacht, where families with the name have been recorded, but today it is found across the Irish diaspora worldwide.

Notable individuals with the surname have contributed to politics, academia, sports, and the arts, reflecting the widespread distribution of the name. See also: Scanlan, a related surname.