McGovern (name)

McGovern Irish name: Mag Shamhráin
Earlier spellings	MacGauran, MacGoveran, MacGowran, Magauran, MacGavern, Magavern, McGavern Anglicised Somers, Summers
Etymology	"A summery personality"
Place of origin	County Cavan, Ireland[1]
Members	Samhradhán lived c. 1100 AD
Connected families	McKiernan

The surname McGovern (Irish: Mág Samhradháin), is of Irish origin and is found predominantly in the counties of Cavan (among the fifteen most common names), Fermanagh and Leitrim.

The Irish name is Mag Samhradháin, meaning the Son of Samhradhán, and the clan or sept takes its name from one Samhradhán who lived c. 1100 AD descended from 7th-century Eochaidh, a descendant of Brión mac Echach Muigmedóin. Eochaidh gave his name to Teallach Eochaid, modern day Tullyhaw in Cavan. This was long the territory of the McGoverns. Their strongholds were at Ballymagauran, Bawnboy, Coologe and Lissanover in Cavan.^[2][3]

There are many variations found in the spelling of the name, all of which are attempts at a phonetic spelling of the Gaelic Mag Samhradháin. The Mag part can be found as Mag, Meg, Mac, Mau, Mec, Mc, Ma or M'. The Samhradháin part (which may be attached to or detached from the Mag part and all its variations) can be found (the G being capitalised or not) as Samradhan, Shamhradhan, Shamhraghan, Shamradhan, Goveran, Govern, Govran, Gawran, Gawrain, Gawrene, Gawryne, Gauran, Gaurin, Gaurn, Gaurien, Gaurayn, Gaveran, Gaheran, Gahran, Gowran, Gouran, Gurn, Gurren, Guran, Guarayn.