Surname Maclehose - Meaning and Origin
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Maclehose: What does the surname Maclehose mean?
Maclehose is a Scottish surname roughly derived from the Gaelic ‘Mac-Gille-Osda’, meaning ‘son of Osda’s follower’. The origin of the prefix ‘mac’ is derived from the Latin ‘Mac’ or ‘Macc’ which translates as ‘son of’. Historians have located the earliest records of Maclehose families in the southern Highlands of Scotland during the 12th century, and with records of a family in Edinburg in the 16th century carrying the Maclehose surname.
Today, the Maclehose surname remains most commonly found within Scotland, with sub-clusters of surnames found in Canada, the United States, and Australia. The most common version of the Maclehose surname is with two ‘e’s, however you will find a variation of the surname with one ‘e’, such as MacLehose (with no hyphen) written as one word, and other unusual spellings.
The Maclehose clans were generally situated in the Highland county of Ross-shire, and were traditionally farmers, professional soldier, and members of the professions. They were known for being brave and hard working, and for holding traditional Highland Gaelic cultural values.
The Maclehose clan crest is blazoned on a red shield with a silver chevron below a fierce black wild boar’s head, representing courage and ferocity. The motto on the Maclehose crest reads "Virtutis Fortuna Comes”, meaning ‘Good Fortune is the companion of Courage’.
The Maclehose name embodies a rich cultural identity that has been passed down through generations, representing strength and courage in times of difficulty.
Order DNA origin analysisMaclehose: Where does the name Maclehose come from?
The last name Maclehose is a common surname throughout the Scotland and the United Kingdom. The family name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic Macioladach, meaning 'Son of the Servant of the Lord'. The name was most likely given to a servant of a local lord in the medieval period.
The surname is most common in Argyll and Bute, the former county in Western Scotland. The number of people with the name Maclehose in Argyll and Bute is 857, making it the 18th most common name in the region. There are also a small amount of people with the last name in the nearby counties of Renfew and Dunbarton.
Outside of Scotland, the name Maclehose is still quite common. Over the last few centuries, many Scottish settlers and immigrants have taken their surname to parts of England, Ireland, Canada, the United States and Australia. The last name is still most commonly found in Scotland, England and Ireland.
Today, Maclehose is most common in the United Kingdom and its former colonies, but can still be found throughout the world, particularly in larger cities and towns. The total number of people with the last name worldwide is estimated at over 10,000, with the majority located in the UK.
Variations of the surname Maclehose
The surname Maclehose is derived from the Gaelic 'Mac Labhruis' meaning 'son of Laurence' and is generally found in the Argyll region of Scotland.
Variants and spellings of the surname include Mac Labhrus, Mac Lawrence, MacLaurin, Lawranson and Laverick. Maclehosie is another common variant.
The surname was likely established in the Argyll area in the 15th century, when the MacLaurin clan fought alongside the Stewarts of Appin in the battle of Monzievaird. The MacLaurins then adopted the more anglicized form of the surname as Maclehose.
Variations in spellings of the Maclehose surname appear due to dialects as well as translation errors by government officials. It is also common to find the surname changed as many people moved around the world.
In Scotland, the most commonly found variations of the Maclehose surname can be divided into two groups: Clan MacLaurin and Clan MacLauring. James MacLaurin, a leading Historian, was recorded in the Statutory Records of 1619. In 1595, the MacLauring's, descendants of an Old Irish family, are listed in a Clan Lands kit.
For those in the U.S., the most common variant of the Maclehose surname is MacLawrence. In the early 1800's, James MacLawrence settled in Pennsylvania and other MacLawrence families settled in upstate New York.
In the United Kingdom, the spelling of the surname may have been simplified to 'Lowson', a variant of the surname which is particularly common in the North East.
For those with the Maclehose surname who are living in different parts of the world, research into family history can be beneficial in determining where the surname originated and the variations it has taken.
Famous people with the name Maclehose
- Malcolm MacLehose, 12th chief of Clan MacLehose, British politician
- Sir William MacLehose, 8th Baronet of Auchenheath, Governor of Hong Kong
- Sir Francis Henry Mackinnon MacLehose, last British Governor of Hong Kong
- Sir Murray Maclehose, Governor of Hong Kong later Rector of the University of Glasgow
- Archibald MacLehose, Managing Director of publishing firm James MacLehose & Sons
- Karen MacLehose, British artist
- Claude MacLehose, Canadian soldier and lawyer
- John MacLehose, Scottish businessperson and publisher
- Gilbert MacLehose, Scottish educationalist
- Sir Alastair Maclehose, British diplomat
- Walter MacLehose, former publisher at MacLehose Press and director of Glasgow School of Art
- John MacLehose MacLaren, British-Australian barrister
- Robert MacLehose, Scottish minister in the Free Church of Scotland
- Sir Alwyn MacLehose MacLean, British Royal Navy officer
- Lady MacLehose, Singapore’s Nobel Prize-winning novelist
- Gordon MacLehose, British Army officer
- Andrew MacLehose, 15th chief of Clan MacLehose, Scottish Baronet
- Sir Alexander MacLehose, 6th Bt., British Member of Parliament
- Angus MacLehose, Scottish laird
- Sir Neil MacArthur MacLehose, British Field Marshal and Governor of the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong