17,990 Global BRANNON Family Members

BRANNON Family History

Recorded in various spellings including Brannan, Brannon, Brannen and Brennan, this is a complex surname of Irish origins. It derives from either of two distinct Gaelic surnames originally O'Braonain and Mac Branan. The prefix o' indicated a male descendant of, whilst "braon", was a personal or baptismal name which may have translated as "sorrow". The name as MacBranan translates as "the son of Bran", with Bran meaning raven, and hence a nickname for somebody who was alledged by his compratriots to have the aptitudes of this often ferocious bird! Most original Gaelic clan and family names originated from a nickname for the first chief, and this would seem to be no exception...