Coghlan is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cochláin, which means "descendant of Cochlán." The given name Cochlán is derived from the Irish word cochal meaning "cape" or "hood," possibly referring to a garment or, metaphorically, a protector. This surname originated in County Cork, Ireland, where the Ó Cochláin sept was historically prominent. Like many Irish surnames, Coghlan underwent phonetic anglicization during the 17th–19th centuries, as English administrators and record-keepers standardized Gaelic names into English orthography. Variants such as Coughlan and Coughlin reflect regional pronunciation differences and scribal variations. In the United States, Canadian census records and passenger lists show that Coghlan families primarily immigrated during the Great Famine (1845–1852) and settled in urban centers like New York and Boston, as well as in mining communities in Pennsylvania and Michigan. According to the 2010 United States Census, Coghlan is the 15,712th most common surname in the U.S., borne by approximately 1,856 individuals. The surname is overwhelmingly associated with White ethnicity (94.94% of bearers). Distribution data also shows modest numbers in Australia, the UK (particularly in County Cork and Dublin), and Canada. Notable bearers include the English athlete Eilish Coghlan (middle-distance runner, competed in the European Championships), Irish hurler Brian Coghlan (played for Cork in the 2000s), and Australian cricketer Gregory Coghlan (first-class cricket for Tasmania). In fiction, characters named Coghlan appear in works such as James Joyce's Ulysses and Father Ted, reflecting its ubiquity in Irish diaspora communities. Meaning: "descendant of Cochlán" (from Irish cochal, "cape/hood")Origin: Irish Gaelic (Ó Cochláin), County CorkType: Patronymic surnameUsage Regions: Ireland (especially Munster), UK, USA, Australia, CanadaVariants: Coughlan, Coughlin, Ó Cochláin