Map of Ireland showing where the Declan arms are recorded
The Declan arms were recorded in Ireland, c. 1645.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Dublin.
Dublin was the seat of government in Ireland and the place where grants were sought and recorded. Families with business at the castle or the courts settled nearby, and settling there put their arms on record.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Ireland in this period.
Charles I of England
Sovereign of the period
Charles I of England
1625–1649
Reigning in Ireland when the Declan arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Ireland
The Ulster King of Arms granted coats of arms to individuals who proved their social standing and good character. These symbols were typically inherited by all legitimate descendants of the original holder. If a family branch wanted a unique look, they could apply for a specific change to their design through the office to ensure their identity remained distinct.
Granting authority
The Ulster King of Arms acted as the official body that regulated and issued all coats of arms throughout Ireland.
How they got arms
Families obtained their arms through formal grants issued by the office after proving their eligibility and paying the required fees.
Where arms were recorded
All official grants were recorded in the registers held by the Ulster King of Arms starting from the year 1552.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Ireland.
Origin & History of the Declan Family in Ireland
The name Declan originates from the Irish Gaelic name Déaglán, which translates to "full of goodness." Historically, the name is deeply connected to Saint Declan of Ardmore, a fifth-century figure who was one of the earliest Christian missionaries in Ireland. By the mid-seventeenth century, families bearing this name were well-established in the Dublin area. Records from 1645 show that these individuals were active participants in the social and economic life of the city during a time of great political change in Ireland. As the family grew, they became part of the urban fabric of Dublin, living through the transition from the medieval period into the modern era. Their presence in the capital city suggests that they were settled members of the community who contributed to the local trade and administrative activities of the seventeenth century.
Declan Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Deaglán
Derived from the Old Irish word deag meaning good.
This name
DeclanA name traditionally interpreted as meaning full of goodness or man of prayer.
also spelled
Deslaund
Deslaunde
Deslond
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Ó Corráin, Donnchadh and Maguire, Fidelma, Irish Names, 1981
National Archives of Ireland, Civil Survey of the County of Dublin, 1654–1656
Woulfe, Patrick, Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames, 1923
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saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
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