Surname McElherren - Meaning and Origin

McElherren: What does the surname McElherren mean?

The surname McElherren is of Scottish origin. It is a variation of the surname McIlherron, which is derived from the Gaelic surname Mac Giolla Chiarain, meaning "son of the servant of St. Ciaran". Saint Ciaran of Saighir, also known as St. Ciaran the Elder, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and is often associated with the clans and surnames descending from this Gaelic name. As with many other surnames originated from patronymics, McElherren denotes a familial or genealogical link to individuals who were once servants or followers of St. Ciaran. It is important to note that over time, the spelling of surnames often changed due to various factors, such as regional accents and phonetic spellings, causing variations like McElherren and its variants McIlherron, McKlherron etc.

McElherren: Where does the name McElherren come from?

The surname McElherren has its origins in Scotland, attributed to the ancient Celtic culture. The name is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Giolla Chiarain", which means "son of the servant of St. Ciaran". The surname in Scottish history was associated with Clan Mackenzie, one of the largest Scottish Highland clans.

Despite its Scottish roots, as a result of migration and diaspora, the distribution of the surname McElherren is not limited to Scotland. However, its distribution is not evenly across the globe, and it isn't considered a common surname. There are a number of individuals with the McElherren surname in the United States and around the United Kingdom, due to immigration from Scotland during the colonial period and subsequent years. Other countries where it might be found include Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, again largely due to historic Scottish emigration. It's important to keep in mind that as with many specific surnames, it may not be highly common in any particular location.

Variations of the surname McElherren

The surname McElherren is of Irish origin and it belongs to the category of 'Anglicized Irish' surnames. The name is likely of a similar origin to McElheron or McIlherron, both common anglicized versions of the Gaelic Mac Giolla Charraing, which means "son of the servant of Charraig".

Other possible variations or similar surnames might include McElherron, MacElheran, McIlherren, McElhearn, McElherran, and McIlherran. Due to the many different ways Gaelic names have been translated into English over the centuries, there may also be more distant variations that share a common root with McElherren.

Spellings of surnames changed over time, and across different regions, by pronunciation variations, and as records were translated from the original Irish to English. Some versions of the name may have dropped the "Mc" or "Mac" prefix entirely, resulting in surnames like Elherren, Elherron, and Ilherran.

It's essential to remember with Irish surnames, the prefix "Mac" or "Mc" doesn't always signify a direct father-to-son relationship but can also indicate a more distant ancestral relationship. So, other surnames with the root "-herron" or "-herren" could potentially be related as well.

Famous people with the name McElherren

• Cassandra McElherren: American actress
• Bulla McElherren: American football defensive end
• Bryan McElherren: American country music singer
• Daryl McElhenney: American actor, director and producer
• Joe McElherren: American former professional basketball player
• Michael McElhenney: American actor, comedian, and director
• Kerri McElherren: American volleyball player
• Monty McElhannon: American football coach
• Paul McElhone: English actor
• Rob McElhenney: American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
• Ross McElheran: Canadian professional ice hockey player
• Sarah McElherren: American Olympic swimmer
• Steve McElhinnay: American professional bowler

Other surnames

McElheranMcElherenMcElheron