The Brennan Coat of Arms and Name Meaning
Discover the meaning of Brennan, its origins in Ireland, and the story behind a Brennan family crest.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Brennan coat of arms for you.
Origin of the Brennan name
Brennan comes mainly from Ó Braonáin, "descendant of Braonán". The principal sept were lords of Uí Duach (Idough) in north County Kilkenny, part of the old kingdom of Ossory. A separate family, Mac Branáin, ruled Corca Achlann in County Roscommon, and their name was also anglicized as Brennan. It is now widespread in Ireland and among the Irish overseas.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Brennan name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Brennan name in Ireland. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, England and Australia; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Brennan family history
The complete Brennan pack goes much further: documented origins, early records and family spread, plus a hand-checked coat of arms.
Brennan name FAQ
What does the Brennan name mean?
Descendant of Braonán. Common variants include O'Brennan, Brannan, Brannon, Ó Braonáin.
Where does the Brennan surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and Australia.
Is there a Brennan coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Brennan crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Brennan coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).