Surname MacLucas - Meaning and Origin
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MacLucas: What does the surname MacLucas mean?
The surname MacLucas is a Scottish and Northern Irish surname related to the clan surname MacLochlainn. The name MacLucas has its roots in the ancient Gaelic name "Mac Lochlainn". The prefix "Mac" means son of, so the literal meaning of the name is "son of Lochlainn". The origin of the MacLucas name dates back to an area of Ulster, in the north of Ireland, which was occupied by these ancient Gaelic families.
The MacLucas family were believed to have descended from a noble line of both Irish and Scottish kings, and have a long and proud tradition of clan worship. The clans bore various symbols and colors to highlight their family allegiance, such as the lion rampant, the boar, the stag, or the sword.
Throughout the centuries, the McLucas family has been scattered across Scotland and the island of Ireland, and its name has evolved into many regional variations such as MacLucais, McLucas, MacLucash, MacLucass, and MacLugash.
Today, the McLucas family is most associated with Highland Scotland, the Hebrides, and Donegal in Ireland, where they are still well represented. The McLucas family name is one of great strength, pride, and noble heritage, and this is evidenced by the continued respect and reverence that is still held for its members in many places in Scotland and Ireland.
Order DNA origin analysisMacLucas: Where does the name MacLucas come from?
The MacLucas surname is most common today in isolated pockets throughout the British Isles and Ireland. It appears the name can be traced to a one-time Gaelic name and a noble family which may have migrated to Scotland after fleeing possible Norman invasions of Ireland in the 12th century. Today, the main concentrations of the MacLucas surname appear to be in Scotland and Ireland, but there are pockets in England, Wales, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
For those with the MacLucas surname living in Scotland, there are still some present in the Highlands and Islands. The name is especially prominent in Stornoway and in Ross and Cromarty. In Ireland, it is more common in County Mayo and Galway. Most of the MacLucases who now live in England can be found in the North West, with Lancashire having the highest density. The name is also found in other regions of the British Isles, including Cornwall and Wales.
In the United States, the prevalence of the MacLucas surname decreases the further from the east coast. Maine stays the most widespread, although MacLucases can also still be found in other states on the east coast, such as Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. It is less likely but not totally unheard of to find individuals with the surname in other states as well.
MacLucases are also well represented in other parts of the world. The name appears in much of the Commonwealth, as well as some countries in South America and the Euro-Mediterranean region. Today, the popularity of the MacLucas name is ingrained in its history and the many countries it has traveled to over the years.
Variations of the surname MacLucas
The surname MacLucas is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic surname, Mac Lusca. It is derived from the first name, Lusca, the diminutive of Lucas, which is the Latinized version of the Greek name, Loukas.
The variants and spellings of the surname MacLucas include MacLusk, MacLuskey, MacLusker, MacLuskey, MacLuskie, MacLux, MacLuxey, MacLuxy, MacLuks, MacLusky, MacLuxoe, MacLuxey and MacLusque.
The surname MacLucas is also found in Scotland, and is closely related to the surname Bell. Spelling variants and surnames of the same origin include generating the surnames MacLullich, MacLorich, MacLorink, MacLorcan, MacLoran, MacLory, MacLoran, and MacLurgan.
In addition, MacLucas is also sometimes used interchangeably with Lucas and Lucus, as well as Luca, MacLuce, McLucas, Lusk, Lusca, Lucus, Luske, Luskey, and Luks.
In Ireland, the various spellings of the surname MacLucas can be found throughout the country, predominantly in counties Galway, Cork and Clare. Other related surnames include MacLucash, and MacLuchessy.
The variants of the surname MacLucas are found in other parts of the world, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. In the United States the surname is often spelled MacLuskie, whereas in Canada and Australia the surname is more often seen as the original spelling, MacLucas.
Famous people with the name MacLucas
- Lucas Maclennan: Australian soccer player.
- Alexander MacLucas: French film director.
- Jenna-Louise MacLucas: British actress.
- Bruce MacLucas: Canadian author.
- Reg MacLucas: English footballer.
- Niall MacLucas: Irish singer.
- Felix MacLucas: Canadian politician.
- Simon MacLucas: British CEO.
- Jorge MacLucas: Spanish actor.
- Jake MacLucas: American mixed martial artist.