Recorded as de Logan, O' Logan, Logan, and Lagan, this famous Gaelic surname is confusingly both Scottish and Irish, and in both countries may also have a Norman origin! It is generally considered in Ireland to derive from the Gaelic O'Leoghain, translating as 'the son of the descendant of the Warrior', and this is probably so with many nameholders. However there is also a claim that it is recorded as 'de Logan' in Normandy, even before the 1066 Invasion of England, and that these 'de Logans' accompanied Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke, on his 1170 invasion of Ireland. To further add to the confusion there are several places in Scotland called Logan, and it is possible that some of these may have Norman ancestry. Black's 'Surnames of Scotland' gives the origination of the Clan Logan as from an area known as 'The lands of Logan' in Ayrshire. Thurgand de Logyn rendered homage to the Scottish Government in 1296, whilst in 1307 John de Logan was recorded as being 'an enemy of the King of England'. The Irish O'Logans were originally the Lords of Morgallion, in County Westmeath in circa 1300. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Logan, which was dated 1204, a witness to the charter of Ingilbristoun, Scotland, during the reign of King William, known as 'The Lion of Scotland', 1165 - 1214. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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