Surname McLanaghan - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
McLanaghan: What does the surname McLanaghan mean?
The surname McLanaghan is of Scottish origin and it is a variant of the surname MacLennan, which translates to "son of the servant of Saint Finnan." Saint Finnan was a popular 6th-century Irish bishop who worked extensively in Scotland. The term "Mac" in Scottish and Irish surnames usually refers to "son of," pointing to a familial lineage or the name of a patriarch in past generations. In some cases, the prefixes were also used to indicate a profession or societal role, such as "servant" in this case. It's important to note that because surnames can alter over centuries and more through migration and local pronunciation, they may have many spelling variations. McLanaghan is one of them. Like many surnames that originate in Gaelic languages, the exact spelling can vary significantly and may also be found spelled as MacLanaghan or McLanahan.
Order DNA origin analysisMcLanaghan: Where does the name McLanaghan come from?
The last name McLanaghan is of Scottish origin. Traditionally, it is considered a patronymic surname derived from the personal name "Lanigan" or "Lonergan", which itself might have originated from a Gaelic word meaning "strong as a spear". The prefix "Mc" translates to “son of” in Gaelic, thus McLanaghan may mean "son of Lanagan". Over time and due to phonetic spelling, variations in the surname have occurred, creating derivatives such as McLanigan, McLenaghan, and others.
Despite its Scottish origins, the surname is not particularly common in Scotland today. The migration of Scottish and Irish people during the 18th and 19th centuries led to the surname McLanaghan being found more frequently in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. However, it's still a fairly uncommon surname overall. Specific data on where the name is most common today is not readily available, but it may likely be found scattered in regions associated with Scottish and Irish diaspora. As with many surnames, digitization of historical records and genealogical research could help current bearers of the surname McLanaghan trace their familial roots.
Variations of the surname McLanaghan
The surname McLanaghan is of Irish origin. This surname is a variant of the Gaelic Mac Flannchadha, which means 'son of Flannchadh'. The personal name Flannchadh means 'red warrior'. There are few recorded variants of this surname due to its rare use. However, the use of 'Mc' or 'Mac' can vary meaning 'son of', and sometimes it may be abbreviated to 'M' or dropped altogether. Thus, the name can also exist as Lanaghan.
Additionally, there are also other forms of the surname which have changed slightly over time due to different phonetic spellings. Some of these include: McLanahan, McLanehan, McLanigan, McLanighan, and McLarnaghan.
The spellings have been influenced by the regional accents and the literacy level of the registrars. Hence, the same surname can often be seen spelled in many different ways, even within the same document.
There's also McLenaghan and McLenahan derived from Mac Giolla Fhionntáin meaning "son of the servant of St. Fintan". These are particularly common in counties Monaghan and Tyrone in Ireland.
Specifically, in Ireland, these types of surnames are associated with the regions of Ulster and Connacht.
Famous people with the name McLanaghan
- Ryan McLanaghan: Actor best known for his work on the 2019 series Baskets and the 2018 film We the Animals.
- Harry McLanaghan: British Olympic biker and U.K. team coach.
- Jordan McLanaghan: Professional soccer player currently playing for FC Edmonton in the Canadian Premier League.
- Seamus McLanaghan: Irish professional boxer who competed in the super-middleweight division.
- P. J. McLanaghan: Professional box lacrosse player who helped the Edmonton Rush win the 2009 National Lacrosse League Champions Cup title.
- Michael McLanaghan: Australian professional tug-of-war champion.
- Chris McLanaghan: Olympic equestrian team Gold Medalist and founder of Fort Garden Riding School.
- Colin McLanaghan: Canadian jazz bassist.
- Elaine McLanaghan: Canadian writer and public speaker.
- Pat McLanaghan: Professional ice hockey player who played for the Milwaukee Admirals and the New York Islanders in the National Hockey League.