Canavan


Canavan is a surname of Irish with two possible translations, both Anglicized:
1. "White Head" from O'Ceanndubhain Sept who were hereditary physicians to the O'Flahertys of Connemara. Whitehead and Whitelock are sometimes used in Galway. Spelling variations include: Canovan, O'Canavan, Canaman, Kinevan, Kinavan, Kanavan, O'Kennevain.
2. "Black Head" from uiCeanndubhain – descendant of the dark haired one. a byname meaning ‘little black-headed one’, from ceann ‘head’ + dubh ‘black’ + the diminutive suffix -án.

People with the surname

Two Canavans died in 1912 during the Titanic disaster—Patrick Canavan and Mary Canavan—both of County Mayo.