Surname McGowin - Meaning and Origin

McGowin: What does the surname McGowin mean?

The Last name McGowin is of Scottish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name 'Gadhra', which means 'hound of the god' or 'godlike'. This was initially a male given name and over time evolved into a surname. McGowin is Anglicized from Mac Gabhrain meaning 'Son of Gadhra'. The clan was traditionally based in the Highlands of Scotland, specifically in Ross-shire. The haven of the clan was Castle Maol, a sea fortress in the Kyleakin region. Variants of the name include MacGowan, McGowan, and Gowin. It is important to note that variations in the spelling of this surname occurred frequently due to the translation of Gaelic into English which was often phonetic, leading to inconsistencies.

McGowin: Where does the name McGowin come from?

The surname McGowin is of Irish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic name 'Mag Gabhain', which translates to 'son of the blacksmith'. Like many Irish names, it has various spellings including McGowan, MacGowan, Gowan, Gowen, and Gowin.

The large number of bearers of the McGowin surname today is the result of the widespread Irish diaspora throughout the world, especially during the time of the Great Famine in the mid-19th century. Today, the surname is common throughout Ireland, particularly in Ulster, and also in the United States, where Irish immigrants and their descendants have had a significant presence.

Despite the dispersion, there are notably high concentrations of people surnamed McGowin in parts of the United States, specifically in parts of Alabama and beyond. Other regions where the surname could be commonly seen include the United Kingdom and Australia, because of historical migration patterns.

Variations of the surname McGowin

The surname McGowin is of Irish origin and is primarily a variant of the Scottish and Irish surname MacGowan or McGowan, deriving from the Gaelic Mac Gobhann, which means "son of the blacksmith." This surname might have occupational roots originally representing a family whose line of work was blacksmithing.

Variants and spellings of this name can have slight alterations or misspellings. These may include MacGowan, MacGowin, McGowan, Magowan, MacGavin, MacGowen, McGowen, McGouan, Magowen, Makgoun, MacGoun, and MacGobhainn.

It's also worth mentioning that the prefix "Mc" and "Mac" in Irish and Scottish surnames both mean 'son of', and they are virtually interchangeable, hence why McGowin and McGowan, or MacGowan and MacGowin are practically the same names.

Historical documents and census data may have different spellings for the same people due to discrepancies in phonetic transcription and literacy levels. Therefore, it's not uncommon to find various spellings for McGowin throughout history and geography due to the patrons' literacy or the transcriber's phonetics. Americanized versions can have simpler spellings like Gowin or Gowan.

Famous people with the name McGowin

• Malik McGowin: American professional baseball pitcher in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization
• Grant McGowin: American actor, musician, producer, and director, best known for his roles in The Holiday Calendar, The Doubting Thomas and Fresh Off the Boat
• Nolan McGowin: American professional baseball pitcher in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization
• Shayne McGowin: American professional baseball pitcher in the Chicago Cubs organization
• D.J. McGowin: American football player currently signed to the Atlanta Falcons
• Clay McGowin: Former American football player
• Matt McGowin: American professional baseball pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals organization
• Dianna McGowin Jaka:American finance professional and former executive vice president and core markets manager for JPMorgan Chase
• Ernest McGowin: American football player currently signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars
• Derrick McGowin: Former American football player
• William McGowin: Former American football player
• Deb McGowin: American curler and Olympian
• Scot McGowin: American professional football player in the USFL

Other surnames

McGowanMcGowenMcGown