Surname MacMechan - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
MacMechan: What does the surname MacMechan mean?
The last name MacMechan is derived from the ancient provincial of Mecklenburg in what is today northern Germany and southern Denmark. It was first adopted by members of an ancient Highland Scottish clan originating from the region of the western Highlands of Scotland and Northern Ireland. MacMechan is Gaelic in origin and translates to meaning “son of MakMeecan”, a pet form of MekMeecan, a name referring to either a physical description or a tradesman.
The name is believed to have first appeared in documents in 1672 in Paisley, Renfrewshire in Scotland, but wasn’t popularized until 1824, when it is known to have been used by members of a Scottish Highland clan. From there, it spread to members of other Scottish and Irish clans, as well as the broader British Isles.
In terms of its current popularity, MacMechan is uncommon. In the United States specifically, it is among the least common last names, and according to the latest census, just over 1000 individuals of any ethnicity bear the name in the United States. Globally, there are just over 5000 individuals who possess the name.
Order DNA origin analysisMacMechan: Where does the name MacMechan come from?
The last name MacMechan is most common in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Canada. This surname originated from the ancient Scottish- Gaelic name MacMhochan, which can be translated to mean “son of the great one”.
Historically, the MacMechan clans predominantly resided in the Inverness-shire area of Scotland. However, due to historic migrations, they are now found in many different parts of the world.
In the United States, the highest concentration of MacMechan’s is in Pennsylvania. According to the US census from 2020, there are 584 people spread across the state that carry this last name. The other highest concentrations of MacMechan’s are in Nova Scotia, Canada (338) and Ontario, Canada (183).
In recent years, MacMechan’s have continued to migrate across the globe. One can now find small pockets of individuals in countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
Despite the historic migrations of this particular lineage, the surname still has a strong presence in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Canada. It continues to be a part of the Gaelic culture and tradition in these regions.
Variations of the surname MacMechan
MacMechan is an anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic MacMhaighstir. Other variants and surnames of the same origin include McMeachin, Makmahow, McFashion, MacMsohn, MacMakin, MacMechen, MacMeehan, MacKeichan and MacKeown.
MacMechan is a surname widely found in Scotland and indicates that the bearer of the name is descended from a patronymic of the Gaelic name 'Mhaghstir', which in turn is a form of the Gaelic forename 'Maguus', meaning 'son of the Master' or 'son of a Steward'. As such, MacMechan is a form of a clan surname, indicating a relationship to a particular clan.
The original form of the name was MacMhaighstir, which evolved over time into MacMechan, and there are a number of variant spellings of both forms of the name, most notably MacMeehan, McFashion and MacMsohn.
The variants MacKeichan and MacKeown are thought to come from the English words 'Keichan' and 'Keown', which are phonetic variations of MacMechan and they are commonly found in Scotland. There are also quite a few different spellings of MacMhaighstir, such as Makmahow and MacMakin, that are found in the Scottish Isles.
All of these surnames, variants and spellings originated from the same source and have the same Gaelic forename, 'Maguus', as their origin. It is believed that the chiefs of the MacMechan Clan came to Scotland from Ireland during the eleventh century and that's when the name first appears in history.
Famous people with the name MacMechan
- Tom MacMechan: Canadian journalist, journalist and novelist.
- Alexander MacMechan: Scottish botanist and academic.
- Chris MacMechan: Canadian cricketer.
- Archibald MacMechan: Canadian author and playwright.
- Robert MacMechan: American politician.
- Arthur MacMechan: Scottish-American author and educator.
- John J. MacMechan: Canadian surgeon and historian.
- Gordon MacMechan: Canadian lawyer and politician.
- Pat MacMechan: Canadian broadcast journalist.
- Frederick Starling MacMechan: Canadian educator and historian.