Donegan is an anglicized surname originating from several different Irish families.

Numerous spelling variations of the surname Donegan exist. Different spellings include Donegan, Donnegan, Doneghan, Donneghan, Donagan, Donnagan, Donnaghan, Dunegan

Dunegan

Dunegan is a variant of the Irish surname, Ó Donnagáin. A more common spelling is Donegan.It was first found in the County Cork where they were anciently seated at Muskerry, later moving to Limerick, Kildare, and Dublin....

, Dunnegan, O'Donegan, O'Dunnegan, O'Donnaghan, Dongan, Donegin, Donnegin, Donnagen, Donagen, Donnegen, Donegen, Donnigan, Donigan, Dunnican, Dunican, Dunigan, Dunnigan, McDunnigan, McDonegan, Dongane, Dongan

Dongan

Dongan may refer to:Peoples*Dongan, A Muslim population of Chinese origin living in central Asia.Individuals*John Dongan, medieval Manx prelate*Thomas Dongan, 2nd Earl of Limerick, member of Irish Parliament and Governor of New York State...

, Dongen, Dungan, and many more.

Ó Donnagáin (dim. of donn, brown)

According to Patrick Woulfe's Irish Names and Surnames

"The name of several distinct families in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

. They were chiefs of the extensive district of Ara, now the barony of Ara (or Duhara) in the north-west of Co. Tipperary, and of Ui Cuanach, now the barony of Coonagh in Co. Limerick. They are frequently mentioned in the Annals

Annals

Annals are a concise form of historical representation which record events chronologically, year by year. The Oxford English Dictionary defines annals as "a narrative of events written year by year"...

 during the 11th and 12th century, but after the Anglo-Norman

Anglo-Norman

The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...

 invasion they began to decline and soon disappeared from history. Their territory in later times was occupied by a branch of the O'Brien

O'Brien

The O'Brien dynasty are a royal and noble house founded in the 10th century by Brian Boru of the Dál gCais or Dalcassians. After becoming King of Munster, through conquest he established himself as High King of Ireland...

s, the chief of which was styled Mac I Brien Ara. The O'Donegans of Cork

County Cork

County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...

 were anciently chiefs of the Three Plains, now the barony of Orrery in the neighborhood of Rathluirc. Their patrimony

Property

Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...

 was granted by King John of England

John of England

John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...

 to William de Barry, under the name of Muskerry

Muskerry

Muskerry is a central region of County Cork, Ireland which incorporates the baronies of Muskerry West and Muskerry East. It is located along the vallley of the River Lee and is bounded by the Boggeragh Mountains to the north and the Shehy Mountains to the south. The region is named after the...

-Donegan. There were in ancient times, three distinct families of O'Donegans in Ulster

Ulster

Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...

, and the name is still extant in that province

Province

A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...

. The O'Donegans were numerous at the end of the 16th century in the midlands and in North Connacht

Connacht

Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...

; and through by no means common, the name is at the present found in all provinces."

Variations of the spelling, including Duigenan, Duignan, Dignan, Dignam, and Degnan, may derive from another Irish family, the Clan Ó Duibhgeannáin

Clan Ó Duibhgeannáin

The Ó Duibhgeannáin clan were a family of professional historians in medieval and early modern Ireland.They originated in the kingdom of Annaly on the east bank of the Shannon and later migrated into Connacht. Writing in 1921 the Irish historian, Fr...

 of Co. Roscommon

County Roscommon

County Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...

 and Co. Leitrim

County Leitrim

County Leitrim is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county...

.