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Dwan Family Genealogy Background and Chronology Dwan is an anglicised form of the ancient Gaelic surname O’Dubain, which originated in 1070 AD. It means “Grandsons or descendants of Duban, a Chief who lived in the south-west of Co. Cork (see map) in 1060 AD and was killed in battle at that date by the McCarthy clan. It derives from ‘dub’ Gaelic for black or dark; the ‘an’ is the diminutive, so that the name means “descendants of the little dark chief”, and ‘dub’ is a nickname descriptive of Duban. The Munster Annals and the Four Masters (the first history of Irish families) shows 35 Dwan Chiefs in the area around the present town of Dunmanway, between 1120-1200 though there are gaps in the record. From 1171 onwards the Normans invaded this area, but the Dwan Sept was not finally driven from its lands until 1570. Branches scattered to the Limerick area, where they are numerous today, and there were large branches in Co. Meath and Co. Mayo in the 1600’s. Rent Rolls in Limerick give the first anglicised form of the name in 1650 as O’ Dovayne and, because there were no fixed spellings until recent times other forms in Irish parish registers are: O’Dwane, O’Duan, O’Dowane, O’Doane, O’Downe, Dewans, Devans, Divane, Divan, Dwane, Dwan, Duan, Dooan, Doon, Down, Downes; it is also found as Devine sometimes, although this is actually the Ulster name O’Daimhim; O’Dubain is also ‘translated’ as Kidney in Cork. In 1640 the Down Survey, a censs, showed 42 Dwan families in the Limerick are. Here, the earliest record was of Edru O’Dubain at the Monasteranenagh Abbey in 1149 where he was Abbot. The Limerick Annals record a famous Bardic School founded by Fiachra O’Dubain at Askeaton in 1285 where genealogy, music, history, etc was taught. A well known Limerick poet in 1400 was Cian O’Dubain. An examination of the Tithe Aplotment Lists of 1730 shows 63 Dwan’ mentioned as paying tithes to the Established (Protestant) Church. In 1790 a list of the Irish Brigades in France (Irishmen who emigrated to France because of the bad conditions at home) give the name of a General Edward Dwan, and of 14 Dwan officers. Father John Dwan, of Longhill, Co. Limerick, was a rebel sought by the English who escaped to Australia and was never caught. In the 1800’s the Limerick land rolls give a total of 610 acres owned in Limerick by Dwan families. At Croom in 1820 Joseph Dwan owned 180 acres; at Kilmallock in 1840 David Dwan owned 200 acres. Dwan families are well known in Limerick and Tipperary today as (viz: F Dwan & Son, Kickham St, Thurles); an old branch at Thurles is Edmund Dwan, Ivy Hall, Turtulla. The Dwan coat of arms hereby illustrated is officially documented in ‘Rietstap Armorial General’. The original description of the arms (shield) is as follows: “D’herm a un loup pass. de sa., acc. En chef de deux croiss. Du meme.” When translated the blazon also describes the original colours of the Dwan arms as; “Ermine; a black wolf walking; accompanied in upper third by two black crescents.” Above the shield and helmet is the crest which is described as; “A black wolf’s head and neck”.

James, this is great...

My great, great grandfather was a "John Dwan", born in Ireland (c.1835) and settled in Daylesford Victoria. He married Emma Fitzpatrick (born c.1839). My line comes from one of their daughters 'Mary Dwan" (1866 to 1826).

I was particularly interested reading your comment on "...Father John Dwan, of Longhill, Co. Limerick, was a rebel sought by the English who escaped to Australia and was never caught..." and wondered if there might be a connection.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this.

Jane Pingo (wife of Bruce the tree "owner")

Very Interesting reading about where the name DWAN originated from!

My family of Dwans were, Thomas who was born 1827 Roscrea Tipperary Ireland, who with his family went to live as a small boy in Canada, later crossing the border to the USA attended West Point Military Academy fought in a few wars, returning to Ireland he married Catherine Keeshan of Minchins Glen, in the new chapel at Roscrea.The wedding was performed by Rev. Father Blake.

They sailed cabin class on the "West Austalian" on the 30 Nov 1857 from Liverpool England to Melbourne, Australia arriving March 1858 settling in the Maryborough, Talbot, area.

Thomas Dwan worked as a Journalist, Shopkeeper and Mining Speculator, during that time he met and became a lifetime friend with Julius Vogel (Sir) Later Premier of New Zealand.

Thomas Dwan and his wife Catherine and 3 children later went to live in New Zealand and became quite well known, in different fields, one son Alonzo Dwan, was journalist, Thomas and Lamartine owned quite a few Hotels all over New Zealand, Thomas had a lot of articles written about his adventures, all of which and more was written about in the book "Charleston is Rise and Decline" by Irwin Faris, also photographs.

The family firstly living in the South Island, and then settling in Wellington.

Would be interested to know if anyone else is related to this branch of the Dwans or Keeshans.

Geraldine

My name is David Devine. My 4th Great Grandfather, Denis, married Ellen Shea in Keel (Boolteens), Castlemaine Parish, Kerry. My 3rd Great Grandfather, Michael, was born later that year. Denis' marriage record and Michael's baptism showed the surname as Duane. Subsequent Castlemaine Parish records for our family showed spelling variations as Dwane, Divane and Devane. It was not until Denis and Michael emigrated to Canada that the spelling transitioned to Divine then Devine. I'd be interested in hearibg from any others with County Kerry roots as well as others who have done DNA testing and would like to check for DNA matches. Over the past few years I have coordinated a DNA project involving over 30 descendants of Devine families with Kerry originating in County Kerry so I have quite a bit of data to work with.

James is no longer a member of GR and cannot be contacted through this site

Same applies to Bruce, although Geraldine has not deleted her account, so you may be able to contact her by clicking on her name, and hoping that she still uses the e-mail address she registered with the site in 2007

To find any other possible contacts on here, look under 'search all members trees'