Cahan
/ˈkeɪhən/noun
A surname, especially an anglicized form of the Irish Ó Catháin.
Did you know?Ó Catháin derives from Cathán, a diminutive of Irish cath, meaning “battle,” preserving a martial identity in the family name.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Celtic
Proto-Celtic
*katus
“Battle or combat”
Old Irish
Old Irish
cath
“Battle, conflict, or war”
Early Medieval Irish
Old Irish
Cathán
“Little battler; a personal name formed with a diminutive suffix”
Medieval Irish
Irish
Ó Catháin
“Descendant of Cathán”
Modern period
English
Cahan
“An anglicized spelling of the Irish surname Ó Catháin”