Surname McEvan - Meaning and Origin

McEvan: What does the surname McEvan mean?

The surname McEvan is believed to be of Scottish origin. It was most likely derived from the old Gaelic personal name "Mac Eoghain", which means "the son of Eoghan". Eoghan was a popular name in medieval Scotland and is derived from the Gaelic "eoghann" which means "youth".

The McEvan surname is thought to have originated in the Hebrides, an archipelago of islands off the west coast of Scotland including Skye, Lewis, Islay and Mull, and was first found in Islay. The earliest known recorded instance of the McEvan surname was a Thomas McEwan in Skye in 1577.

The popularity of the McEvan surname can be seen from the number of listings in directories compiled in the 19th century. In 1864, there were listings in Argyll, Islay, Ayrshire and Belfast, as well as Scotland.

Today, the McEvan surname is still prevalent in Scotland and the United Kingdom, but has spread throughout the English speaking world. Today, it is found primarily in Scotland, the United States, Canada, and Australia. The McEvan Clan is a member of the Scottish Clan Association, and today is sometimes spelled MacEwan.

McEvan: Where does the name McEvan come from?

The last name McEvan is most commonly found in the British Isles, especially Ireland and Scotland. In Scotland, the name McEvan derived from the barony of MacEwen, located in Argyll. Today, there is a high concentration of this surname in Northern Ireland, particularly in counties Antrim and Down. It is also settled in some parts of Fermanagh, Cavan, and Monaghan.

In England, McEvan is more dispersed, but there is still a fair number of people with the name living throughout the country. It is especially concentrated in Scotland's Lowlands and the northern part of the English county of Yorkshire.

McEvan is also quite popular in Australia and New Zealand. Many of these people have ancestral roots in Ireland, Scotland, or England. Across the United States, the name McEvan is less common than other Irish-origin surnames such as McGuire or McHenry. Still, there are a few pockets of it in the Midwest, particularly in states like Iowa and Wisconsin.

People with the last name McEvan are now spread all around the world. From the British Isles to Australasia to the United States, the McEvan clan is alive and well.

Variations of the surname McEvan

The surname McEvan is derived from the Gaelic name Mac Iomhair, which is a patronymic surname meaning “son of Evan.” Variants of the surname can include McEwan, McEwen, McEwan, McEvans, McEwen, McEvin and MacEvan.

The surname McEvan can also be spelled in a variety of ways. Some of these include MackEvan, MacKevan, MaKevan, MacKeawn, MacKeevan, MacKeveen, MacEvans, MacE ven, MacEvynne, MacEwaine, McKevine, McKevan, MacKeaveen, MackEwin and MackEvin.

In Scotland, surnames of the same origin also have different spellings, particularly in the Northern and Western Isles. Some of these spellings include McEvain, MacAvain, McEvane, McAvane, MacEveane, McKeveane, McCavane, MacQuevane, MacKieveane, MacKevane and McKeinvane.

In Ireland, the surname MacEvan is also known by some of the alternate spellings mentioned above, however, the most common spellings are Mac Eóin and Mac Eoain. In Irish Gaelic, the two surnames translate to “the son of John.”

The different spellings and surnames of the same origin for the McEvan surname are likely the result of migrations throughout history, as well as a tendency for Gaelic speakers to use standardised spellings of names for record-keeping purposes. Regardless of spelling, all of the variations of the McEvan surname are derived from the same origin: the Gaelic name Mac Iomhair.

Famous people with the name McEvan

• Danielle McEvan: Model and actress who has starred in films such as Bedazzled and Beings.
• Duncan McEwan: Scottish musician who has released several albums.
• Charlotte McEwan: Award-winning Scottish author who wrote the novel The Tower.
• Scott McEwan: British businessman and investor who is the founder, chairman and majority shareholder of Rainmaker Entertainment.
• William McEwan: Scottish brewer who founded McEwan's Brewery in Edinburgh.
• Rodney McEwan: Canadian rugby union player who represented Canada at the International Rugby Board tournaments.
• James McEwan: Former Chief of the Defence Staff of the British Army.
• Alexander McEwan: Scottish professional golfer who was runner-up at The Amateur Championship three times.
• Colin McEwan: Scottish former footballer who held several record with Crystal Palace Football Club.
• Robert McEwan: American actor, director and producer, best known for his work on films such as National Lampoon's Vacation.

Other surnames

McEVADDY