Surname MacLarin - Meaning and Origin
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MacLarin: What does the surname MacLarin mean?
The last name MacLarin has Scottish origins and belongs to the family of surnames that are derived from the names of occupational professions. The MacLarin surname primarily originates from the Hebrides islands, and Western Coast of Scotland. The name is derived from the personal name Lawrence, which in Latin is 'Laurentius', referring to someone from Laurentum, a town in Italy. When spoken by Scottish Gaelic speakers, Lawrence transformed into 'Labhrainn', hence 'Mac Labhrainn' meaning 'son of Labhrainn'. Over time, it was anglicized and changed in spelling to MacLarin and variations include McLaren, MacLaurin, MacLaron, and MacLaurance amongst others. Notably, the Clan MacLaren, a Highland Scottish clan, has been known to exist in Scotland since the 13th century, with even earlier historical references. Individuals bearing the MacLarin surname and its variations are found across the world due to widespread Scottish diaspora, particularly in countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Order DNA origin analysisMacLarin: Where does the name MacLarin come from?
The surname MacLarin originates from Scotland. It is believed to have emerged from the Gaelic name "Mac Labhrainn" which means "son of Labhran" or "son of Lawrence". The MacLarins were initially part of the Clan MacLaren in the Scottish Highlands and have notable connections to the areas of Balquhidder and Strathearn. The clan is said to have descended from the ancient Pictish rulers of eastern Scotland.
Significant migration patterns, particularly during the period of the Highland Clearances in the 18th and 19th centuries, saw many Scottish clans, including the MacLarins, disperse across the globe. Today, the surname MacLarin, with various spelling variations such as McLaren and McClaran, can be found in different parts of the world. However, it remains most common in Scotland and in countries with substantial Scottish diaspora such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Variations of the surname MacLarin
Common variants of the surname MacLarin include McLarin, Maclaren, McLaren, MacLaurin, McLaurin, McLarney, MacClarney, and McLarren. Some of these variants originate from the Gaelic name "MacLabhruinn," which translates to "son of Labhran." The name Labhran itself is a derivative of Lawrence, and this connection leads to further variation of surnames such as MacLaurence and McLawrence.
MacLarin is primarily a Scottish surname, associated with the clans residing in areas like Perthshire in Highland Scotland. The names may have different spellings due to regional dialects, phonetic spellings, or anglicisation. As settlers from Scotland migrated to other English speaking nations, they may have simplified or changed the spelling to fit the English language pronunciation better.
In the past, spelling variations were very common even within the same document due to various reasons including lack of standardization in language, literacy level of population, and errors in transcription. Hence, it's not unusual to find multiple spellings for the same surname. The different surname variations also originated due to clan or family subdivisions. It is also worth mentioning that all these variants of the surname have similar pronunciations despite their different spellings.
Famous people with the name MacLarin
- Ewan MacLaren: Scottish actor, writer, and director
- Steve MacLaren: former professional football player
- Robert MacLaren: British judge and President of the Queen's Bench Division
- Donald MacLaren: British soldier and author
- Donal MacLaren: Scottish actor and photographer
- David MacLaren: Scottish novel and film writer
- Alastair MacLaren: Scottish rally driver
- Kirsty MacLaren: Scottish pop singer
- James MacLaren: Scottish poet
- Charles MacLaren: Scottish editor, printer, and publisher