Surname McFadryn - Meaning and Origin
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McFadryn: What does the surname McFadryn mean?
The last name McFadryn (or sometimes McFadrin) is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic Mac Fhionedhrainn. In these words, mac translates to "son of," while Fhionedhrainn is believed to be derived from the Gaelic term fiodh, which means "wood".
This suggests that McFadryn likely originated as a patronymic name, given to denote a physical descriptor -- that is, McFadryn was likely used to signify a son of the "wood dweller," or someone who lived in or near a wood. It should also be noted that the McFadryn name may have been an Anglicization of different regional surnames, as the Irish MacFadheagain and the Welsh MacFetrid differed only slightly from the Scottish McFadryn.
Given its roots, the McFadryn surname suggests that its namesake was closely connected with the land, as any one of the wood dwellers likely relied on the nearby resources to survive. As such, the name likely evokes strength, responsibility, and a strong connection to nature -- traits that his descendants may still proudly carry today.
Order DNA origin analysisMcFadryn: Where does the name McFadryn come from?
The last name McFadryn is most commonly found in Scotland and Ireland, but has seen pockets of growth in other parts of the world. It is a variant of the Gaelic Mac Fhearadhaigh, which translates to son of the descendant of Fergus. In Scotland, the McFadryn or MacFadzean name is recorded in the 16th and 17th centuries in the east coast regions of Fife and Aberdeenshire. This area was a stronghold for Clan MacKenzie and was home of many Scottish Clans. In Ireland, the names MacFadden and McFadzean were widespread in Counties Clare, Donegal and Sligo.
The name has also recently seen a revival in America, as part of the large number of Irish immigrants in the 19th century. Today, McFadryn's are spread throughout the United States, with concentrations in New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, California and Florida. Australia also has a large presence of people with McFadryn heritage, due to its proximity to Ireland and having taken in many evidences of Irish immigrants in the early to mid 19th century.
Today, there are also numerous McFadryns throughout Scotland, Ireland and other countries around the world who are proud of their heritage and continue to strive for greatness in their new homes.
Variations of the surname McFadryn
The surname McFadryn is a Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic ‘Mac Phàdraig,’ which literally translates to “son of Patrick.” Other variants of the surname include MacFadyen, MacF adden, MacFadden, MacFadzean, MacFadyen, as well as Fadden, Fadyn, Fadzean, Fadin, and Fadiman.
The McFadryn surname is similar to, and sometimes confused with, the MacFarlane, Macfarland, MacPharlane, MacPharland, and McFarland surnames, regardless of the spelling. While they all likely descend from a similar ancestor, MacPharland and MacPharlane are believed to be variants of MacFarlane, which also has its origins in the Guelfic god Cathal.
McFarland and MacFadyen may also be confused as both variants can be found in Scotland and Acadia (now part of the Canadian Maritime provinces). MacFadyen is the anglicized spelling of the variant from Scotland while McFarland is from Acadia.
McFadryn also has a variety of spellings across multiple countries. In Ireland, McFadryn is sometimes spelled as MacFaden, MacFaden or MacFadden. In Australia, McFadryn is sometimes spelled McFadden. In New Zealand, McFadryn is often spelled McFadden or Mafadyn.
No matter the spelling, McFadryn is a great example of a Scottish-Gaelic surname that has been passed down through generations and adapted to various countries and current times.
Famous people with the name McFadryn
- Lachlan McFadyen: Canadian actor
- Evan McFadyen: rugby player from New Zealand
- Colin McFadyen: Scottish actor
- Nicole McFadyen: Australian Paralympic swimmer
- Gordon McFadyen: Scottish professional footballer
- Madeline McFadyen: Australian actress and presenter
- Lauren McFadyen: Canadian actress
- Angharad McFadyen: Welsh actress
- Aidan McFadyen: Australian Rugby league player
- Steven McFadyen: American author, expert witness and professor of Electric Engineering