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Re: Callan
I agree with Chrisell that Callan's popularity in Queensland probably comes from its similarity in sound to Callum. But it may not be a complete creation, because Callan and Callen exist as Scottish and Irish surnames. According to Reaney & Wilson's A Dictionary of English Surnames, in Scotland Callan is a variation of MacAllan, and in Ireland it is derived from Cathalan, a diminutive of a name meaning "battle mighty."
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You said what I was going to say but with more information and in more words :-)I'd like to add a random note: My 3rd grade Science teacher's surname was Callan :-)
"Chan eil tuil air nach tig traoghadh"
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds - Half of writing history is hiding the truth.
- Serenity

This message was edited 4/3/2006, 10:45 AM

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