Nolan
An Irish surname from O Nualláin, traditionally understood as meaning “descendant of Nuallán,” a name linked with nobility or fame.
The #754 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 6,704 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Nolan is the anglicized form of Irish O Nualláin, a surname built from the prefix O, meaning “descendant of,” and the personal name Nuallán. The name Nuallán is usually connected with nuall, a word associated with fame, nobility, or loud renown, though older writers vary in how they explain the exact sense. In short, the surname points back to an Irish ancestral name rather than to an occupation or place.
History
The surname is long established in Ireland, and 19th- and early-20th-century surname books regularly identify it as the English form of O Nualláin. It became widespread in English records through anglicization, with spellings such as Nowlan also appearing. Later genealogical works continue to treat Nolan as a standard Irish family name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname dictionaries sometimes linked Nolan with an idea of “fame” or “nobility,” which helped make it one of the more poetically explained Irish surnames.
From the historical record
“NOKES = Noakes, q.v. NOLAN (Celt.) the Ir. Nuallan = Famous,- Noble [Ir. nuall -(- the dim. suff. -dti] NOLL I a pet form of Oliver (q.v.) with attracted N-. Here; lies Oliver Goldsmith, for short- ness called Noll. — D. Garrick. 2 for Knoll, q.v.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)Notable people named Nolan
- Christopher Nolan (b. 1970)
- Jonathan Nolan (b. 1976)
- Kevin Nolan (b. 1982)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.