Editing Regan (section)

{{other uses|Regan (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox surname
| name = Regan
|image=
|imagesize=
|caption=
| pronunciation =
| meaning =  From ''ri'' "sovereign, king" and the diminutive ''-in''; hence "the king's child"<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.babynamesofireland.com/regan|title=Regan - Meaning of Name Regan - Pronounce Regan Irish Girl Name}}</ref><ref name=calling>{{cite web |url=http://ireland-calling.com/irish-names-regan/ |title = History of the Irish name Regan}}</ref>
| region = Ireland
| language = Irish
| variant = Riagán, Ríogáin, Ó Riagáin, Ó Ríogáin, O Regan, O'Reagan, O'Regan, Riggin, Riggins 
| footnotes = <ref>[http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Regan - origin]</ref>
}}

The family name '''Regan''', along with its cognates '''O'Regan''', '''O Regan''', '''Reagan''', and '''O'Reagan''', is an [[Anglicized]] form of the [[Irish language|Irish]] [[surname]] '''Ó Riagáin''' or '''Ó Ríogáin''', from [[Riagáin|Ua Riagáin]]. The meaning is likely to have originated in ancient [[Goidelic languages|Gaelic]] ''ri'' "sovereign, king" and the [[diminutive]] suffix ''-in''; thus "the king's child" or "big king".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://babynames.allparenting.com/list/Celtic_Baby_Names/Regan/details/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531041643/http://babynames.allparenting.com/list/Celtic_Baby_Names/Regan/details/ |archive-date=2012-05-31 |title=Meaning of Regan - Celtic baby name}}</ref> The name was borne by two distinct families: one seated in [[Kingdom of Meath|Meath]], the other in [[Thomond]].{{citation needed|date=December 2018}}

The O'Regans of Meath were a branch of the southern [[Ui Neill]] and one of the [[four Tribes of Tara]]. Before the [[Norman invasion of Ireland|Anglo-Norman invasion]], they were lords of south [[Breagh]] and the north of present-day [[County Dublin]]. They took a leading part in the wars against the [[Danes]]. In the year 1029, [[Mathghamhain Ó Riagáin]], king of Breagh, captured the king of Dublin, [[Amhlaoibh mac Sitric|Amhlaoibh]] son of [[Sigtrygg|Sitric]], releasing him only upon payment of an enormous ransom, which included the celebrated [[Tomrair#The "ring of Tomar"|Sword of Carlus]]. The O'Regans were dispossessed soon after the invasion and dispersed through Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishsurnames.com/cgi-bin/gallery.pl?name=oregan&capname=O%27Regan&letter=r|title=O%27Regan Coat of Arms, Family Crest - Free Image to View - O%27Regan Name Origin History and Meaning of Symbols}}</ref>

The O'Regans of Thomond are a [[Dalcassian]] family said to be descended from [[Riagán]], son of [[Donncuan]], a brother of [[Brian Boru]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sloinne.ie/surname/ga/o-riagain/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507085322/https://www.sloinne.ie/surname/ga/o-riagain/ |archive-date=2018-05-07 |title=Sloinne}}</ref>

The unisex forename '''[[Regan (given name)|Regan]]''' is likely to have derived sometime later from the [[Classical Latin|Latin]] ''[[Regina (name)|Regina]]'' "queen", the feminine form of ''Rex'' (stem ''reg-'') "king", which is also the source of the name ''Reginald''.<ref name=calling/>