Surname Phalen - Meaning and Origin
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Phalen: What does the surname Phalen mean?
The last name Phalen is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic surname Ó Fál/Ó Fallamhain. This translates to the 'descendant of Valamhain', where the prefix 'Val-' is derived from the Latin word for ruler or ruler's home. The Irish sept of the O'Falens were of the same stock as the O'Donnells, and their traditional homeland in Connaught was located mainly in the barony of Tirconnell (the modern Donegal).
In terms of more modern times, the Phalen family members have spread around the world throughout the centuries, with significant populations found in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
The Phalen surname origins are associated with several fascinating histories, shrouded in legends and myths that are still collects in Ireland today. One such legend is of the O'Falens who were said to be able to open the rivers and so tame wild boars, a feat which was both legendary and dangerous.
The Phalen surname is most likely a modern-day adaptation of a Gaelic name based on the prefix 'Val-' and the suffix '-amhain', meaning 'the ruler's home'. As such, it has been used to refer to people whose ancestors hailed from the barony of Tirconnell in the province of Connaught in Ireland.
Most likely, the Phalen surname originated in Donegal, Ireland, and that is where it is still most commonly clustered. The name is derived from the Gaelic 'Fáil' or 'Fallamhain', which translates to 'descendant of Valamhain'. Although the meaning of the surname can be interpreted as 'their home is a palace', it carries a certain sense of nobility and respect that speaks to the origins of the family.
No matter what the precise meaning of the Phalen surname is, it is clear that this name carries with it a proud history and an impressive heritage from the Emerald Isle that is worth celebrating.
Order DNA origin analysisPhalen: Where does the name Phalen come from?
The last name Phalen is most commonly found in the United States today. In the early 1900s, many immigrants from Ireland with the surname Phalen came to America, which is why the most common concentration of the name is found in the Northeast and Midwest states.
In 2018, the US Census Bureau estimates that 115,881 people in the US had the last name Phalen. 44.69% of those people lived in the Northeast, 34.82% lived in the Midwest, 13.65% lived in the South and 6.84% lived in the West. It was the 8,767th most commonly occurring surname in the US, and the 1,584th most common surname in Ireland.
Comparing the two, the name is significantly more common in the US than in Ireland. This is likely due to the influence and movement of Irish immigrants to the states in the early 1900s.
The states with the highest concentration of Phalens are Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, in that order. Massachusetts has the highest concentration with 26.97%, followed by New York with 12.63%. There are significantly more people with the Phalen last name living on the East Coast than any other region.
The popularity of the surname has generally declined through the decades. In the 1910 US Census, the name was the 1,450th most common name in the country. By the 2020 US Census, it had dropped 1,417 places in popularity.
Variations of the surname Phalen
The surname Phalen has several variant spellings, which are often accomplished simply by swapping around consonants and vowels, as well as adding and removing letters. These variants include Fallon, Phelan, Ffolliott, O'Phelan, O'Fallon, Flan, Flannigan, Flanagan, Phalane, and Phallane.
In some cases, there has also been a blending of the original Irish surname Phalen and other surnames in English-speaking countries. This has resulted in a few more variants, such as Fallonen, Ffolliotton, O’Phelen, Flanigan, Folliot, and Phoelan.
Additionally, the Phalen surname is closely related to several other family names, including Foliot, Polleon, O Phally, Philean, Phalan, and Phellan. These surnames have similar roots, though some of them have different pronunciations or spellings.
Other common variants of the Phalen surname include Fallin, Lawless, and Lewless. All of these variants represent the original surname of Phalen. It's useful to remember that due to the breakdown of Irish dialects, in some cases the pronunciation of the surname has changed completely, resulting in a different spelling.
Famous people with the name Phalen
- Josh Phalen: Former ESPN sports television journalist (also known as Josh Elliott).
- Samantha Phalen: South African actress and model.
- William Phalen: American actor and voice actor.
- Matthew Phalen: American artist and musician.
- Patrick Phalen: former Deputy Director of the CIA and career intelligence officer.
- Garry Phalen: former Irish hurler.
- Alan Phalen: former Australian rugby league footballer.
- John Phalen: American corporate lawyer.
- Edward Phalen: American senator from Mississippi.
- Malcolm Phalen Jr: American former basketball player.
- Jack Phalen: Canadian ice hockey player.