Vaughan (surname)

Vaughan or Vaughn
Pronunciation/ˈvɔːn/
Origin
Word/nameWelsh
MeaningSmall (when of Welsh derivation)
Region of originWales, Ireland

Vaughan and Vaughn are surnames, originally Welsh, though also used as a form of the Irish surname McMahon.[1] Vaughan derives from the Welsh word bychan, meaning "small", and so corresponds to the English name Little and the Breton cognate Bihan. The word mutates to Fychan (Welsh: [ˈvəχan]) an identifier for a younger sibling or next of kin. It can also be used as a first name Vaughan (given name).

  1. ^ MacLysaght, Edward (1985). Irish families: Their Names, Arms, and Origins. Irish Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-7165-2364-2.