O'Kane
/oʊˈkeɪn/noun
An Irish surname, an anglicized form of Ó Catháin.
Did you know?The surname comes from the Gaelic personal name Cathán, a diminutive of cath, meaning “battle,” preserving a martial identity inside a modern family name.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*katu-
“Battle or combat; the reconstructed ancient root behind Celtic forms.”
Proto-Celtic
Proto-Celtic
*katus
“Battle or warfare.”
Old Irish
Old Irish
cath
“Battle, combat, or war.”
Early Medieval Irish
Irish
Cathán
“A personal name meaning “little battler,” formed with a diminutive suffix.”
Medieval Irish
Irish
Ó Catháin
“Descendant of Cathán.”
Modern English
English
O'Kane
“The anglicized surname derived from Ó Catháin.”