Sullavan: Last Name Origin and Family Crest

If your family name is Sullavan, its origin lies with Sullivan, a long-established Irish surname. Spelled with “a” instead of “i”, Sullavan shows how the same name was heard and written differently. In origin, the name means “Descendant of Súileabhán (from súil, "eye")”. Before spelling was standardised, one family could appear under several forms.

The same family of names includes O'Sullivan.

Looking for a Sullavan coat of arms? Arms were granted to families, not to surnames, and our research shows which heraldic tradition fits yours. Want more than a summary? See the Sullavan family name pack.