O'Galvin Surname Meaning & Coat of Arms

Records tie O'Galvin closely to Galvin. Taken at its root, O'Galvin points to “Descendant of Gealbhán ("bright white")”. O'Galvin simply joins the particle O' to Galvin, a habit common in Irish naming. Census takers and immigration officers often wrote what they heard. Other spellings include Galván and Gallivan.

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Galvin surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon. Want more than a summary? See the O'Galvin family name pack.