Surname MacKellar - Meaning and Origin
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MacKellar: What does the surname MacKellar mean?
The last name MacKellar is of Scottish origin and is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name MacCellard. It is derived from the personal name Cellard, which combines the Celtic elements ceol, meaning ‘music’ or ‘company’, and ard, meaning ‘high’ or ‘chief’. The name therefore roughly translates to ‘the chief of the music’ or ‘the leader of a group’, implying a person of prominence and social status.
Historically, the surname MacKellar originated in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. The earliest recorded example of the name in this region is in records from the 14th century, when Nicholas MacCellard of Kintyre was mentioned in a document from 1296. Since then, the name has spread across Scotland, with references in the 16th century to William Mackillar and Alexander Mackellar in the Glasford area.
Common modern variations of the surname include MacKeller, McKellar, Keller or Keller, and MacKillor. MacKellar is a popular surname in the United States and Canada, while it is also quite common in Scotland, particularly in the West Coast regions of Glasgow and Edinburgh.
In summary, the last name MacKellar is of Scottish origin, derived from the personal name Cellard, which roughly translates to ‘the chief of the music’ or ‘the leader of a group’. The name is quite common in Scotland and parts of North America.
Order DNA origin analysisMacKellar: Where does the name MacKellar come from?
The last name MacKellar is most commonly found in Scotland, where it is most likely derived from. It has been found that the surname was first used as a nickname for a particularly brave individual. It likely originated from the Scottish Gaelic language, with the element 'mac' meaning 'son of' and the name 'Kellar' being a variant of the word 'ceallair' which means 'fierce', 'bold', or 'handsome'.
The surname is also present in other parts of the world, particularly in the United States, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. It is likely that the MacKellars followed similar migratory patterns as other Scots and Ulster Scots, moving mostly to North America in the 18th and 19th centuries, and then on to other countries in the 20th and 21st centuries.
In the United States, MacKellar is most common in the Midwestern states of Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Michigan. In Australia, the surname is present primarily in Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania, although it does appear in some other parts of the country as well. The surname also appears to be fairly common in New Zealand and Canada as well.
Even today, the MacKellar surname is still seen frequently in Scotland, where it has been found for hundreds of years. It is believed that there are cleverly estimated to be around 300 people bearing the surname, and around 1500 with some variation in spelling.
Variations of the surname MacKellar
The MacKellar surname has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These names include MacKeller, MacKelar, Mackller, Mackellar, McCaullar, McCannellar, Makkeller, Makennall, MacKelly, Mackeller, and McKellar.
MacKellar is a popular Scottish surname that is derived from a Gaelic language term and translates to either "fierce" or "son of the pardoner", depending on the region of Scotland from which the family originated. The surname is found predominantly in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Canada, although bearers of this name can be found scattered throughout the British Isles and abroad.
In Scotland, the surname is registered in the counties of Argyll, Inverness, Perth, and Renfrew. In Northern Ireland, the name is most commonly found in Ulster, with several families tracing their origins back to Scotland. In Canada, the surname is most prominent in Ontario and British Columbia, with families in Nova Scotia, Alberta and Quebec.
Variants of MacKellar may also be found with various spellings not mentioned above, such as Makiller, Makalaire, Mackalaire, Makkalaire, McKaler, Makilar, Makiler, Makenaire, Mecahir, MacKilar, Makollow, MacKello, MacKelow, Makkaller, MacKuller, Maculaer, MountKellar, McCalaire, MacCallum, McCallister, MacCaller, Makkleor, McElroy, and McKelvey.
Famous people with the name MacKellar
- Sam MacKellar: American singer-songwriter and musician
- William MacKellar: Retired Canadian Professional hockey player
- Jules MacKellar: British actor best known for her roles in the television series Broadchurch and Doctor Who
- Robin MacKellar: American country singer-songwriter
- Kelsey MacKellar: Australian model and television presenter
- Kim MacKellar: Australian Paralympic swimmer
- Andrew MacKellar: Scottish actor, comedian, and presenter
- Ryan MacKellar: Canadian actor, producer and director
- David MacKellar: British guitarist, songwriter and producer
- Allan MacKellar: British author and historian