Surname McLelland - Meaning and Origin

McLelland: What does the surname McLelland mean?

The last name McLelland is of Scottish origin and is a variant of the Gaelic patronymic name "MacLachlainn", which means "son of Lachlann". Lachlann is a personal name that was originally used to denote an inhabitant of Norway (the land of the Lochlanns). The name was brought to Scotland by Norsemen during their invasions in the Middle Ages and later adopted by Scottish Gaels. Over time, the name has been anglicized into several different forms, including McLelland, McClelland, MacLellan, and MacClellan. Although some people with the name McLelland are descendants of these ancient Norse-Scottish families, others may have been given this surname as a nickname or trade name. Historically, families with this name were part of a larger clan and lived in the region of Galloway in southwestern Scotland. In general, the name McLelland signifies a lineage connection to Lachlann and by extension, to the Norse and Scottish Gaelic cultures.

McLelland: Where does the name McLelland come from?

The McLelland surname has its origins in Scotland, more specifically in the southwestern region known as Galloway. The name is derived from the Gaelic Mac Gille Fhaolain, which literally translates to "Son of the servant of Fillan," with Fillan referring to the Irish Saint Fillan of the 7th century. As with many Scottish surnames, the McLelland name is associated with certain clans, namely Clan MacLellan.

Post migration during the 18th and 19th centuries, the McLelland surname has become quite common in countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia. In the United States, the name is most prevalent in Texas and California, though it can be found in many other states as well. It is also fairly common in England, particularly in the northern regions close to the Scottish borders. However, the largest concentration of individuals with the McLelland surname is still found in Scotland. Like many surnames, it is not distributed evenly and is largely influenced by historical migration and settlement patterns.

Variations of the surname McLelland

The surname McLelland has several variations, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These variants usually arose due to interpretation issues during the hand-written records era and varying dialects. The variants include: McClelland, Mclelland, M'Lelland, M'Lellan, McClellan, MacLellan, MacClelland, Maclelland, and McCelland.

There are also different spellings, such as MacClellan, MacLelland, MacLellane, MacLellan, Mclelan, Mcleland, McLeland, Mclelane, and Mccleland.

Surnames that could possibly be of the same origin include MacLean, MacLane, McLaren, and McLean. These names, like McLelland, are derived from Gaelic and historically found in the regions of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Each variant and spelling of the name has the same root - "Mac Giolla Fhaolain" in Scottish Gaelic. The name translates to "son of the servant of St. Fillan" in English. St. Fillan was an 8th-century Irish hermit who settled in Scotland.

However, it is important to note that these names may not all have the exact same origins as the McLelland surname, as sometimes names that sound or are spelled similarly may actually have separate historical origins.

Famous people with the name McLelland

• Jason McLelland: drummer for country music band Highway 101
• Chris McLelland: British track cyclist
• Matthew McLelland: American actor and writer
• B. J. McLelland: television producer and scriptwriter
• Amanda McLelland: Canadian journalist
• Tracey McLelland: Scottish actress
• John McLelland: basketball player for the New York Knicks
• Lt. Gen. J.H. McLelland, US Army 86th Infantry Division
• John McLelland: Canadian Officer of the Order of Canada
• Grainne McLelland: Irish singer and radio presenter

Other surnames

McLellan