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Hayden Coat of Arms

The surname Hayden, or O'Hayden, is of Irish origin with an interesting history. While the name is now prevalent in many English-speaking countries, it originally comes from the Gaelic name "O'hEideain" or "O'hAodain," which is derived from the word "éideadh," meaning "clothing" or "garment". This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have been clothiers by trade.

The O'Haydens were an ancient family primarily associated with the province of Connacht, particularly in County Galway. There, the family was a part of the larger Ui Fiachrach tribe, one of the many tribal groupings in Ireland that played a significant role in regional governance and society before the Norman invasion.

After the Norman conquest of Ireland in the 12th century, many Irish surnames, including O'Hayden, were anglicized. As English became the dominant language in Ireland, the prefix "O," which means "descendant of," was often dropped, and the Gaelic spelling of names was changed to conform more closely to English phonetics. Thus "O'hEideain" or "O'hAodain" evolved into Hayden.

As with many Irish families, the Haydens experienced dislocation due to political and economic turmoil, including the Cromwellian conquest and subsequent confiscation of lands, leading to emigration and the spread of the name to England, America, and other parts of the world. Today, the surname Hayden is found both within Ireland and among the Irish diaspora worldwide.

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