Milligan

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A surname, most famously borne by Spike Milligan, the Irish-born British comedian and writer
2. A family name, best known through Spike Milligan, the influential comic writer and performer
3. A surname of Irish origin, notably associated with the British comedian and author Spike Milligan

Etymology: Milligan is a surname, and its story is one of anglicised Irish identity rather than of a word changing meaning. It comes from the Irish "Ó Maolagáin", meaning "descendant of Maolagán". The Irish prefix "Ó" marks lineage, much as "Mac" does in Scottish and Irish names, and the personal name "Maolagán" is a diminutive of "maol", a word that originally meant "bald" or "tonsured" and was often used in Irish personal names for members of religious orders. Over time the name was written in English spellings that reflected how it sounded to English speakers, so the Gaelic "Ó" was dropped and the surname settled into the form "Milligan". Families bearing it are associated mainly with Ireland, and the name has travelled with Irish emigrants to Britain, North America and elsewhere.