Surname McGlynn - Meaning and Origin
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McGlynn: What does the surname McGlynn mean?
The surname McGlynn is of Irish descent, and is a variation of the Gaelic name Mac Gille Eoin. Translated, it roughly means “son of (the devotee of) John”. It is believed that this name originally belonged to the area of Ulster and County Fermanagh. The clan of the name was part of the ancient Ui Fiachrach, which was one of the most powerful clans that emerged in the ninth century. The name McGlynn is found throughout Ireland and in the United Kingdom.
As with many Irish surnames, McGlynn has many variant spellings including MacGlynn, MacGlion, MacGlihun and MacGlinn, as well as other rare variants found in North America and elsewhere outside Ireland.
McGlynn is a proud surname that has been in Ireland since at least the medieval period. This is demonstrated by the many people who have held the name over the years, and by numerous memorials erected in honour of McGlynns who gave their lives in battle or other forms of service. The McGlynn Clan organization is dedicated to continuing the tradition of honouring the name and is becoming increasingly popular. The McGlynns are a strong, proud, and tenacious clan, and have remained so over the centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisMcGlynn: Where does the name McGlynn come from?
The last name McGlynn is most commonly found in Ireland and in areas with an Irish diaspora, such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
McGlynn is derived from the native Gaelic Mac Guglain, which roughly translates to ‘son of the servant of the red-haired one’. It was a name bestowed to a brave warrior landowner by a king for his services around the late 16th century. As such, it is a relatively new surname.
The vast majority of McGlynns can be found in the island of Ireland. There are over 2,400 McGlynns living in the Republic of Ireland, mostly in Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Mayo. In Northern Ireland, almost 4,000 McGlynns live mostly in County Fermanagh, with smaller numbers in Belfast and Derry.
In Scotland, there are around 1,400 McGlynns, mainly in Glasgow and Edinburgh. In the United Kingdom in general, there are over 8,000 McGlynns living mainly in England and Wales.
Elsewhere, the majority of the diaspora can be found in North America. Over 11,000 McGlynns live in the United States, mostly in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and California. In Canada, over 3,000 McGlynns live religiously in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary. Additional McGlynns have been found in Australia, where around 400 live in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth.
Many people of McGlynn relatives have come to form strong Irish-American and Irish-Canadian communities across the United States and Canada. In these areas, the McGlynn name has survived over generations and continues to be passed down to family members today.
Variations of the surname McGlynn
The surname McGlynn is an anglicized form of the original Irish name Mag Fhlannchadha. In Ireland, this surname was first found in counties Offaly and Roscommon. Variants of the surname include MacGlynn, MacGillin, MacGlone, MacGilarkey, Glasney, Glackin, Gleason, Gillin, Glyn and Glinn.
McGlynn is an Irish surname that is derived from the Gaelic Mag Fhlannchadha, which means “son of Flannchadh”. Flannchadh is an old Irish personal name derived from the words ‘flann’ meaning ‘reddish’ or ‘ruddy’ and ‘cath’ meaning ‘in battle’. It is thought that this surname was brought to Ireland by the Anglo-Norman invaders and then adapted by the Gaelic Irish.
In Scotland, variants of the surname such as MacGlyn, MacGlone, MacGillin, MacGilarkey, Glasney, Glackin, Gleason and Gilmour can be found. In the United States the spelling of the surname can vary between McGlynn, McGlinn, McGleam and Glynn. The Americanized version of the surname often has a spelling more reminiscent of the prefix McG.
In England, spellings such as Glynn, Glinn, Glin, Glinnen and Glent can be found, while in Wales the surnames Glinn and Glinne rarely appear. In Ireland the surnames McLennan, MacLennan and McLenaghan are also considered variants of McGlynn.
No matter which variant is used, the spelling of McGlynn will always be a reminder of an ancestral homeland and a shared heritage. Finally, the spelling of McGlynn is often associated with people of Irish ancestry, so it is important to note that there is a strong sense of cultural identity that is associated with this surname.
Famous people with the name McGlynn
- Ray McGlynn: Producer, actor, writer, director, and editor best known for his work on the television show World News Now.
- Gabrielle McGlynn: Former professional football player in the Canadian Football League.
- Joseph McGlynn Jr: Former American college football coach and NFL referee.
- Sean McGlynn: CEO of the underground digital music collective The Glitch Mob.
- Joe McGlynn: Irish businessman and chairman of the broadcasting company RTÉ.
- Brian McGlynn: Attorney and expert in energy, litigation, and regulatory policy.
- Eileen McGlynn: Olympian, swimmer, and gold medal winner at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.
- Mary McGlynn: Voice actress and singer. Notable works include Cowboy Bebop and Final Fantasy IV.
- Anthony McGlynn: Director and cinematographer, best known for his work on the films Revenant and Donnie Darko.
- Mike McGlynn: Professional football player for the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL.