
Canavan

Canavan is a surname of Irish with two possible translations, both Anglicized:
1. "White Head" from "O'Ceanndubhain Sept" who were hereditary physicians to the O'Flahertys of Connemara. Whitehead and Whitelock are sometimes used in Galway. Spelling variations include: Canovan, O'Canavan, Canaman, Kinevan, Kinavan, Kanavan, O'Kennevain.
2. "Black Head" from "uiCeanndubhain" – descendant of the dark haired one. a byname meaning ‘little black-headed one’, from ceann ‘head’ + dubh ‘black’ + the diminutive suffix -án.
The name in fact is a hereditary (blood Druid) name, it means both dark(black) & white (Heads of). It refers to actual hair colour changing dark to white, it also relates to badgers which was a kind of `motif` to the Ceanndubhain sept. They like other blood druid septs or clans became doctors (Physicians). They were doctors long before the O Flahertys & long after that line of them died out. Being a physician in those days incorporated a lot more than just 
fixing bones broke after battle. Their practice lay in the islands of Corrib.
People with the surname.
Aoife Maria Canavan, Doctor, Dublin 
Brian Canavan, Doctor, Dublin
Titanic sinking.
Two Canavans died in 1912 during the "Titanic" disaster—Patrick Canavan and Mary Canavan—both of County Mayo.