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Do you know these fine looking fella's?


The "Sloyan Brothers" - Knock County Mayo , Circa 1860

I was sent this picture a couple of years ago and the story goes that the four handsome chaps above were the first Sloyan's to arrive in Mayo, and that they were brought to Mayo as Master Plasterers to work on the Shrine at Knoc, County Mayo. When and where they originally came from is unclear and I would welcome any information anyone might have on the background to this intriguing story.  The gentleman on the bottom right hand side bares a striking resemblance to my late Uncle John Sloyan who lived at Kilgariff, Charlestown, County Mayo. We now have an online forum where you can share connections with fellow Sloyan's from around the world. Click on the link at the bottom of the page!

Are you a member of the Sloyan family?

Are you a relative or a descendent of a Sloyan?

Over recent years I have received many emails from members of the "Sloyan" family around the world, each of them seeking out the origins of the name. The aim of this website is to act as a resource for all Sloyans to share notes and together to build a clear image of how this unusual surname came about, from its gaelic origins to its present spelling. Along the way we may be able to help create a rough "family tree" that Sloyans can refer to as a starting point. 

I am amazed at how spread out the Sloyans are across the world. From the West counties of Ireland they have moved throughout the United Kingdom and the USA, as well as Australia, South Africa. There are Sloyans in East Europe and the name has even come up in China.

Michael Sloyan - Birmingham  UK
This is just the beginning of what will inevitably be a long term project. If you would like to contribute to this site please email me: mikesloyan@yahoo.com

Any information relating to the Sloyan name, or a Sloyan family is welcomed!

There are many historical references to the ancient gaelic variants of the name. One has to bear in mind the many regional gaelic dialects that contribute to the changes in the spelling of the name. An interesting article is held at the New York Public Library that covers 2 variants:

" Sloan, Sloane, Slowan. From Ir. O'Sluaghain, for O'Slaughadain, 'descendant of Slaughadan,' probably a variant of O'Slaughadhaigh, from the MIr. personal name of Sluagadach, 'leader of a military expedition.'  The name appears as Slogagadh, the name of a leader of the Bishop of St. Andrew's host, c. 1128. As Slugepah he appears as a witness in King David's letter respecting the consecrationof Robert, Bishop of St. Andrew's at York, 1128. In the charter of Thurstin, Archbishop of York, on the same subject, his name is misspelled Slugedt. An earlier Sluagadach went forth to Rome, c966-971."

Variant spellings:  O'Sloane, Sloyan, O'Slowey, Sloane, Sloyan or Sloyne (a rare Mayo name) & Sloane (of east Ulster) are both stated by Woulfe to be anglicized forms of O' Sluaghain, an abbreviated form of O'Sluaghadhain, which is derived primarily from the Irish word slaugh, a host, legion. Woulfe further suggests that it is a variant of O'Sluaghadhaigh (Slowey) of west Ulster, which is now a rare surname but was of importance in early mediaeval times.  In north Connacht, Maelpatrick O'Slowey, who died in 1015, is described by the Four Masters as "sage of Ireland". After 1200 references to both these names are very infrequent until the seventeenth century:  from there on Sloane is closely connected with Co. Down.  In 1659 the census enumerators found Slowan one of the most numerous Irish names in the barony of Newry, while one Alexander Sloane is returned as a titulado in the barony of Kinelarty.  Slowey has become Molloy in counties Cavan and Monaghan though the elision of the C in Mac and aspiration of the S.