Surname McElheran - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
McElheran: What does the surname McElheran mean?
The surname McElheran is of Irish origin, like many surnames that begin with "Mc" or "Mac", both of which mean "son of" in Gaelic. The name itself is derived from a personal name, possibly "Elheran" or some variant, which might have belonged to a notable ancestor of the family. However, the meanings of old Gaelic personal names are often lost to history, which is probably the case with the second part of this surname. Therefore, the exact meaning of McElheran is not clear in today's context. As with most surnames, individual families with this name might have different histories and origins. So, the most accurate way to understand the name’s meaning would be through genealogical research. Irish families with surnames beginning with "Mc" are often associated with clans and historical family groupings.
Order DNA origin analysisMcElheran: Where does the name McElheran come from?
The last name McElheran is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "Mac Giolla Chiarain" which means "son of the servant of St. Ciaran". It is believed to have originated from County Galway in the western part of Ireland. The variations of this surname also include McElherron, McIlherron, McKilherron, among others, as the prefix 'Mac' or 'Mc' and 'Kil' signifies 'son of' in Gaelic.
This surname, like many other Irish surnames, has been disseminated around the world through the waves of Irish diaspora over the centuries. While it is not highly prevalent in any particular region today, it can still be encountered amongst people of Irish descent globally, particularly in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and of course, Ireland. The surname is relatively rare and not as commonly seen as other Irish surnames, yet it holds a significant cultural history to the Irish people.
Variations of the surname McElheran
The surname McElheran is of Irish origin and it has several variations in spelling, primarily result from phonetic translations when family members moved to different regions or countries who speak different languages. These variations include McElherron, McIlheron, McElheron, McIlherron, McElhinny, McElhiney, McElhinney and McElrone.
A related surname with a similar meaning is Mac Giolla Chairgein which is Anglicized as McElheran / McElhair. It comes from Gealic where “Mac” means son, “Giolla” means servant, and “Chairgein” is possibly the name of a saint and means love. This surname is believed to have originated in County Donegal, Ireland.
Sometimes, the prefix 'Mac' or 'Mc' (meaning 'son of') can also be dropped, creating further variations like Elheran, Elherron, Ilherron, or Elheron. They all denote the descendants of the same orignal ancestor. Therefore, anyone with these variants of the McElheran surname would have originally shared the same family heritage.
Famous people with the name McElheran
- William McElheran: Canadian actor, model, producer, and realtor
- Chris McElheran: Canadian author, speaker, and coach
- Jennifer McElheran: Canadian children's rights activist
- Troy McElheran: Canadian film producer
- Joanne McElheran: Canadian investigative journalist and documentary producer
- Tyler McElheran: Canadian ice hockey player
- Sean McElheran: Canadian environmental advocate
- Kelly McElheran: Canadian singer-songwriter
- Deniane McElheran: Australian Entrepreneur, Life Coach, Mentor
- Cameron McElheran: Australian Visual Artist and Designer
- Colin McElheran: Scottish actor and playwright
- J. Scott McElheran: Canadian poet and professor
- Jordan McElheran: Canadian professional skateboarder