Surname MacGowin - Meaning and Origin
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MacGowin: What does the surname MacGowin mean?
The last name MacGowin (or MacGaun) is a Scottish surname likely originating in the Gaelic Mac Ó Gábháin meaning "son of little Gavin". This last name is found in small numbers throughout the British Isles, with the earliest recorded instance found in 1468 in the Records of the Parliaments of Scotland, where a Thomas MacGown is listed as having loans of money due to him, and there are also several references to the MacGowin surname in the parish registers of Scotland throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.
The MacGowin family can trace their origins to the Gaels of ancient Scotland, a people originally from Ireland who were believed to have settled in Scotland and the Isles of Scotland during the 5th century. The name MacGowin is believed to be associated with the Clan Chattan, an ancient alliance of clans in the Highlands, which includes the well-known clans of Cameron, Mackintosh, and MacGillivray. As is still the case today, surnames from this region were used to represent a collection of families, so many people with the surname of MacGowin could be related to other families of the same name even if their exact relationship isn't known.
The MacGowin name is still used in Scotland today, although it is far from common. It is likely to have been carried and spread amongst families all over the world in the centuries since the Highland clans migrated, and it is possible for individuals in many locations to trace their own MacGowin heritage back to Scotland.
Order DNA origin analysisMacGowin: Where does the name MacGowin come from?
The last name MacGowin is most commonly found in Scotland today. The surname is thought to have originated from a Scottish clan, and it is still found fairly widely across the country. It is particularly common in the Highlands and Islands, including the Orkney and Shetland Islands.
MacGowins have also settled in other countries, particularly in the United States, Australia, and Canada. They are also sometimes found in Ireland and England. MacGowins in the United States have been living in states such as Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina since the 18th century. Depending on the state, there may be slightly different variations of the name, such as "McGowan" and "McCowen".
The MacGowin name is also found in parts of Canada, particularly Ontario. It is thought that these MacGowins originally came from Scotland in the late 1800s, as part of the Highland Clearances.
The MacGowin name is still strong today and has been carried with pride by its descendants, from the Highlands of Scotland to the coasts of Canada.
Variations of the surname MacGowin
MacGowin is a surname of Scottish-Gaelic origins derived from the Anglicised form of the Gaelic name MacGobhainn. Variants, spellings, and surnames for MacGowin include MacGowan, Gown, Gowan, MacGowen MacGowran, MacGowrin, McGown, McGowin, McKown, and Gowanlock.
The earliest records of the MacGobhainn surname, date back to the 1200s in Scotland. Records from this time indicate that a man named Neil MacGobhainn was the laird of Balquhidder, Scotland in 1263. Later records include those of a ARchibald McGowin who was imprisoned in Stirling Castle for supporting Robert the Bruce in 1306.
In the early 1600s, records suggest that there were a significant number of MacGobhainn families living in the area around Tain, Killearnan, and Alness in Scotland's Northern Highlands. Some of the older variants of the MacGobhainn surname in this region include MacGowran, McGowran, and MacGowen.
The spread of people bearing the MacGowin surname is thought to have followed the same pattern as many other Scottish-Gaelic surnames. People from the different regions of Scotland bearing the MacGowin surname migrated to England, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
Today, the MacGowin surname is still relatively widespread in Scotland, as well as in many other countries. Records from the USA indicate that the surname has been particularly prominent in San Francisco, USA and in a number of other states.
Famous people with the name MacGowin
- John MacGowin: American politician from Louisiana, who served as Chief of Staff of the Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War.
- Charles R. MacGowin: Former engineer for the Southern Railroad, and the founder of the MacGowin Company, a construction and engineering firm in Chattanooga, TN.
- Alex MacGowin: Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne and St Kilda Football Clubs.
- Smith MacGowin: American professional baseball player who was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox in the early 20th century.
- Joseph MacGowin: Early settler in Massachusetts, mentioned in several colony records.
- Fred MacGowin: American football guard in the National Football League and the American Football League.
- Larry MacGowin: A Westminster School Professor of Education and was a prominent Christian speaker in the South.
- Riley MacGowin: Founder of the MacGowin Realty Corporation, and later a state senator in Florida.
- John F. MacGowin: A prominent doctor who was later the mayor of Dallas.
- Stephen MacGowin: A television writer and producer who is well known for his work on the US version of Queer as Folk.