Surname McLaughin - Meaning and Origin

McLaughin: What does the surname McLaughin mean?

The last name McLaughin is an anglicized Irish surname originating from the Gaelic Mac Lochlainn, which translates to mean "son of Lochlann." It is derived from the personal name Lochlann, which is a combination of two words meaning “lake” and “land,” respectively; thus the name could mean either “land of the lakes” or “land of Lochlann.”

The McLaughin surname is mostly found in the counties of Donegal and Tyrone in Northern Ireland, as well as in southern Scotland where it was likely brought by the Scots-Irish migrations in the 17th century. The McLaughins have also spread to other countries around the world such as the United States, Canada and Australia.

The McLaughin name is associated with numerous notable figures over the centuries, some of whom are now historically significant. These include Glaswegian politician James McLaughlin, who served as a Member of Parliament for Greenock and Port Glasgow in the late 19th century, and William McLaughlin, British-Australian wool industry pioneer and prolific collector of Australian fauna specimens.

Overall, the McLaughin surname is steeped in both history and culture. It is a meaningful name that embraces its Irish and Scottish pedigree, embodying the traits of strength, perseverance, and loyalty.

McLaughin: Where does the name McLaughin come from?

The last name McLaughin is most commonly found in Ireland, where it was likely originated. Some records suggest that the McLaughin surname is derived from that of the Scottish clan from Lachlan.

McLaughin is a predominantly Catholic Irish name meaning “son of Laughlin”. The name is most frequent in the province of Ulster, where it was first found in the counties of Donegal, Derry, and Antrim. It is also found at a much lower frequency in the counties of Leitrim, Mayo, and Sligo.

McLaughin is also found in North America, where it is first thought to have been brought by Irish immigrants in the 19th century. It is most commonly found in the United States, with particularly large populations in Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, and California. Descendants of this name can even be found in other countries, such as Canada and Australia.

Today, individuals with the McLaughin surname are said to be creative, vibrant, and hardworking, making them highly respected in their fields. They are also often quite entrepreneurial and have been known to take on challenges, especially when it comes to business.

Variations of the surname McLaughin

The surname McLaughin is a variant of the Gaelic surname Mac Lochlainn, which became established in Ireland during the 16th century. The variants can be spelled a number of ways, including McLaughlin, MacLochlainn, MacLaughlin, MacLoghlan, MacLochlan, MacLaughlan, MacLocklan, MacLoglan and McLochlan.

In Scotland, McLaughlin is mainly found as a variant of MacLachlan, an important name in Argyllshire and the Western Isles. The surname MacLachlan is derived from the Gaelic 'Mac a’ Bhlacailein', meaning 'son of the Swordsman'. Other variant spellings of this surname include MacLachline, MacLaughlin, MacLaghlen and MacLellan.

In Northern Ireland, the McLaughlin surname can also be spelled as McLaghlan, McLaghlin, McLaghlen and McLaghin. It is derived from the Gaelic ‘Mac Lochlainn’ which translates as 'son of the Viking'. McLaughin has sometimes also been used as a synonym for McCartney in Ulster, which is derived from the same root.

The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname McLaughin can also include Laughlin, Laughlan, Laughlen, Laughling, Laughledge and Laughman. While McLaughlin is a fairly common surname, its variants are considered to be quite rare.

Famous people with the name McLaughin

• John McLaughlin: British guitarist and widely acclaimed as one of the greatest jazz-fusion guitarists of all time
• Mícheál MacLochlainn: Irish politician
• Kerry Washington: American actress
• John C. McLaughlin: American broadcast journalist and political analyst
• Greg McLaughlin: American golf tournament director
• Evangeline Lilly: Canadian actress
• Siobhan McLaughlin: Irish human rights lawyer
• Christian McLaughlin: American television writer and producer
• Kristin Kreuk: Canadian actress
• Rudy McLaughlin: Canadian entrepreneur and public speaker
• Sarah McLachlan: Canadian singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist
• Xander McLaughlin: American actor
• Mary McLaughlin: American singer-songwriter
• Joe McLaughlin: American blues singer
• Darryl Mclaughlin: Canadian stunt performer
• Henry J. McLaughlin: American real estate developer
• Caroline McLaughlin: American playwright
• Robert McLaughlin: Canadian industrialist and philanthropist
• Colin Mclaughlin: Irish film, television and theatre actor
• Sadie McLaughlin: American professional wrestler

Other surnames

McLaughlanMcLaughlenMcLaughlin