I personally would pronounce it KAL-a-han. But I don't think this is the correct pronunciation but I have met people with the surname and it was pronounced like that.
The surname is an anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Ceallacháin which means "descendant of Ceallachan". Ceallachan is pronounced KAL-a-kawn apparently.
It is said to derived from the word 'ceallach' meaning "strife". This is somewhat disputed but no real alternative etymology has been brought forward.
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This message was edited 7/12/2005, 11:21 AM