O'HANNON

Information on the O'Hannon family relatively rare when compared to other armigerous families of Ireland.

Traditionally identified with Co. Limerick in Ireland, this family is often found given as a Dalcassian sept cited in Limerick and Clare, and several believed variants of the name are found elsewhere.  O'Haneen was a principal name of Clare; Hanin a principal name of Roscommon; and Hanon a principal name of Armagh in the 17th century in the census of 1659.

The numerous spellings of the name are now primarily found in two forms, that of Hannon and Hannan in modern times.

A sometimes separately cited family of the name is found as a tribe of the Ui Maine, or Hy Many, descending possibly from a 4th century King of Connaught.  They are found alongside the O'Maddens under the ruling O'Kelly clan of the day, and are anciently found in the southeast portion of Co. Galway, not too far from the Dalcassian sept of the name.

In the 1890 birth index Hannan had 32 births in Cork and Sligo, while Hannon had 44 births in Galway, Roscommon and Limerick.

It is doubtlessly true that in isolated instances other names have been changed to O'Hannon, names like Hanahan of Limerick, and Hanneen of Galway.

The 1659 census given above found the barony of Athlone in Co. Roscommon as a center for the name of O'Hannon, and Haneens were found in the barony of Bunratty, Co. Clare at that time.

Patrick Hannon (d. 1925) was the discoverer of the gold fields of Kalgoorlie in Australia.  

REF:
'Book of Irish Families Great & Small' by Michael C. O'Laughlin, Page 137