Nolan is a surname, of Irish origin from Ó Nualláin, derived from Irish nuall meaning "noble, famous" combined with a diminutive suffix.[1] According to historian C. Thomas Cairney, the O'Nolans in Ireland were one of the chiefly families of the Loígis tribe who in turn came from the Cruthin tribe who were the first Celts to settle in Ireland from between 800 and 500 BC.[2]
People with the surname "Nolan" include
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- Carol Nolan (born 1978), Irish politician
- Catherine Nolan (born 1958), American politician
- Chance Nolan (born 1999), American football player
- Charles Nolan (1957–2011), American fashion designer
- Christina E. Nolan (born 1979), American lawyer
- Christopher Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Clarrie Nolan (1904–1998), Australian rules footballer
- Clive Nolan (born 1961), British musician and producer
- Col Nolan (1938–2019), Australian musician
- Coleen Nolan (born 1965), English television presenter
- Conan Nolan, American journalist
- Cynthia Reed Nolan (1908–1976), Australian writer
- Daire Nolan (born 1968), Irish dancer
- Danny Sue Nolan (1923–2002), American actress
- David Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Deanna Nolan (born 1979), American basketball player
- Deborah A. Nolan, American statistician
- Denise Nolan (born 1952), Irish singer
- Dennis Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Derek Nolan (born 1982), Irish politician
- Dick Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Doris Nolan (1916–1998), American actress
- Doug Nolan (born 1976), American ice hockey player
- Earl Nolan (1911–1991), American football player
- Eda Nolan (born 1988), Filipino actress
- Eddie Nolan (born 1988), Irish footballer
- Edward Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Eileen Nolan (1920–2005), English army officer
- Elaine Nolan (born 1981), Irish cricketer
- Elizabeth Nolan (born 1978), American chemist
- Emmet Nolan (born 1995), Irish hurler
- Errol Nolan (born 1991), American sprinter
- Evin Nolan (1930–2016), Irish painter
- Jack Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- James Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Janne E. Nolan (1951–2019), American academic
- Jeanette Nolan (1911–1998), American actress
- Jerry Nolan (1946–1992), American drummer
- Jerry Nolan (footballer) (1869–1947), Australian rules footballer
- Joe Nolan (born 1951), American baseball player
- Joe Nolan (ice hockey) (1929–1986), Canadian hockey player
- John Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Johnny Nolan (1864–1907), English rugby union footballer
- Jon Nolan (born 1992), English footballer
- Jonathan Nolan (born 1976), British screenwriter
- Jordan Nolan (born 1989), Canadian hockey player
- Joseph Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Julia Nolan (1611–1701), Irish noble
- Mae Nolan (1886–1973), American politician
- Mandy Nolan (born 1967), Australian comedian
- Margaret Nolan (1943–2020), English visual artist
- Mark Edward Nolan (1901–1967), American lawyer and politician
- Martin Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Mary Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Matthew Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Maureen Nolan (born 1954), Irish singer-songwriter
- Megan Nolan (born 1990), Irish journalist and writer
- Melanie Nolan (born 1960), New Zealand historian
- Michael Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Mick Nolan, Irish Gaelic footballer
- Mick Nolan (footballer) (1949–2008), Australian rules footballer
- M. J. Nolan (born 1951), Irish politician
- Monica Nolan (1913–1995), American tennis player
- Owen Nolan (born 1972), Canadian ice hockey player
- Paddy Nolan (1862–1913), Irish-Canadian lawyer
- Paddy Nolan (ice hockey) (1897–1957), Canadian hockey player
- Pádraig Nolan (born 1964), Irish sportsperson
- Pat Nolan (born 1950), American lawyer
- Patrick Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Paul Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Percy Nolan (1886–1954), Australian solicitor and politician
- Peter Nolan (born 1949), British academic
- Philip Nolan (disambiguation), multiple people
- Phillis Nolan (1946–2022), Irish lawn bowler
- P. J. Nolan (born 1987), Irish hurler
- Sam Nolan (born 1930), Irish trade unionist
- Samuel Nolan (??–1997), American police officer
- Sara Susan Nolan (1843–1927), English activist
- Seán Nolan, Irish politician
- Sean Nolan (water polo) (born 1972), American water polo player
- Shane Nolan, Irish hurler
- Shirley Nolan (1942–2001), British teacher
- Sidney Nolan (1917–1992), Australian painter
- Sir Nolan (born 1990), American record producer
- Stephen Nolan (born 1973), Northern Irish radio presenter
- Stephen Nolan (hurler), Irish hurler
- Steve Nolan, Irish rugby league footballer
- Susan A. Nolan, American psychologist
Fictional characters
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