Surname Macallum - Meaning and Origin
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Macallum: What does the surname Macallum mean?
Macallum is a Scottish surname of Gaelic origin. This last name is derived from the Gaelic words “Mac” meaning “son of”, and “Callum” derived from “Colm” or “Columba”, an early Christian saint from Ireland who established the monastic community on the island of Iona in Scotland. Saint Columba, in Latin means 'dove', often seen as a symbol of peace and purity. Therefore, Macallum can be interpreted as “son of Columba,” or it could be attributed more broadly to mean "son of the dove". The surname may have been used to denote lineage, indicating that the original bearers of the name were descendants, followers, or devotees of Saint Columba. It underscores the saint's influence and shows the importance of Christianity in Gaelic culture. Variations of the name include MacCallum, Malcolm, Malcom, and many others due to regional dialects and phonetic spellings. This surname is common in areas of Scotland such as Argyll, and among people of Scottish descent worldwide.
Order DNA origin analysisMacallum: Where does the name Macallum come from?
The surname Macallum is of Scottish origin and dates back to the time of the Picts, an ancient Scottish tribe. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "MacGille Chaluim" which means "son of the follower of Saint Columba". The name became common in the western Highlands and Hebrides Islands of Scotland.
Today, the Macallum name is still common in Scotland, particularly in areas with a deep Highland heritage. Through the course of history, many Scottish families migrated to other countries due to economic hardship or political turmoil. Hence, the name has also spread to certain areas where Scottish emigrants settled, like in Northern Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It’s worth mentioning that the name can come in various spellings which includes McCallum, McCollum, MacCallam, and others due to a general lack of spelling rules in early times. There might be fewer people with the exact "Macallum" spelling today, but the name in its various forms is spread across the globe.
Variations of the surname Macallum
The surname Macallum has some variants including MacCallum, McCallum, MacAlum, McAlum, MacColum, McColum, and MacCollum. There are also similar surnames from the Gaelic roots like Malcolm, Malcom, Malcomb, Malcome, Malcum and Malcoms.
The surname Macallum originates from a patronymic name in Scotland, from the given name Calum, which is the Scottish Gaelic equivalent of Columba. The latter, meaning "dove" in Latin, was the name of a renowned saint from Ireland who established a monastery in the 6th century on the island of Iona in western Scotland.
The prefix "Mac" or "Mc" means "son of," while the suffixes "son" or "s" is associated with patronyms in English and Scandinavian cultures respectively. Macallum, hence, translates to "son of Calum."
Further spelling variations might have developed over time due to differences in regional dialects and phonetic spelling by investigators and clerks. In many records, one person's name often appeared differently in each document examined.
Please note that surname variations and differing spellings do not necessarily indicate different family lines, just variations of the same original name. An accurate genealogical research thus requires considering all these spelling variations.
Famous people with the name Macallum
- Claire Macallum, Scottish classical-crossover vocalist
- William Macallum, Canadian-American biochemist and medical geneticist
- James Macallum, Scottish instrumentalist, composer, conductor and musical director
- David Macallum, Scottish landscape painter
- Zachariah Macallum, Canadian-born politician and miller
- Ian Macallum, Australian actor
- Edward Macallum, British composer
- Stewart Macallum, Scottish journalist
- Archibald Macallum, Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament
- Hugh Macallum, Australian filmmaker and screenwriter