Surname McLennon - Meaning and Origin

McLennon: What does the surname McLennon mean?

The surname McLennon is of Scottish origin. The "Mc" prefix in Scottish or Irish surnames often means "son of," hence, McLennon could mean "son of Lennon." The name Lennon itself comes from an old Gaelic personal name, Leannán, which means "lover." Therefore, McLennon could be interpreted as "son of the lover." It is also believed to have originated from the west coast of Scotland and the Hebrides islands. Similar to many surnames that stem from family or given names, the surname McLennon may also indicate direct lineage to an ancestor named Lennon. Like with many other surnames, it has variants, such as McLennan, MacLennan, and McLendon. Notably, Scottish names often got Anglicized during the period after the 1707 Act of Union between England and Scotland. Names were often translated or adapted to sound more English, which explains the various spellings that one encounters in studying Scottish surnames today.

McLennon: Where does the name McLennon come from?

The surname McLennon is of Scottish origin, stemming from the Gaelic personal name "Mac Giolla Fhionnain," which translates to "son of the servant of St. Finnan." This was a name given to the followers of St. Finnan, a 7th-century Irish bishop known for his missionary work.

The McLennon surname belongs to the large category of hereditary surnames in Scotland, which were adopted according to fairly general rules and primarily based on patronyms. Surnames that were derived from ancient Gaelic personal names tend to be common throughout the country.

Today, the McLennon surname is spread across the globe, most likely due to historical Scottish emigration. You can find people bearing this surname in nations like the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Britain, with the larger concentrations in the regions where Scottish descendants have settled. However, it is still not among the most commonly found surnames, hence can be considered relatively rare both in Scotland and worldwide.

Variations of the surname McLennon

The surname McLennon is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic patronymic name "MacGille Fhinnein", which means "son of the follower of St. Finnan". Variations of the surname McLennon could include MacLennan, McLennan, MacLenan, MacLendon, McLendon, MacLinden, McLinden, MacLeonan, and McLeonan.

Other common forms of this surname are MacLen, McLenn, MacLennen, and McLennen. As is typical in Scottish surnames, sometimes "Mac" or "Mc" can be dropped, resulting in more variations such as Lennon, Lennan, Lenon, Lenan, and Lendon.

With varying degree of Anglicisation, it's also found as Lennon, Lennan, or Lenon. In some cases, the "Mc" or "Mac" could be replaced with "M'", resulting in names like M'Lennon, M'Lennan, or M'Lenan.

The spelling of such surnames can also be influenced by regional accents and dialects, illiteracy or the loss of the original Gaelic spelling, resulting in a wide variety of surname variations for McLennon.

These names, although spelled differently, have the same root and are considered variations of the same surname. As with many surnames of this era, spelling would often change with each generation.

Famous people with the name McLennon

• Angus McLennon: a famous Scottish actor who appeared in films such as Highlander and Bond, James Bond.
• John McLennon: a well-known Canadian entrepreneur best known for developing patent-pending drop shipping technology.
• Gary McLennon: an award-winning journalist who is currently serving as the deputy editor for Sports Illustrated magazine.
• Mariama McLennon: a renowned actress famous for starring in the hit Netflix series, Dear White People.
• Liam McLennon: an Australian singer-songwriter and producer known for his hit single, "Get Up and Go".
• Tracy McLennon: an American playwright and poet whose works have been featured in The New Yorker and Off-Broadway.
• Karina McLennon: a popular British model and TV presenter who has appeared in a series of commercials for luxury fashion brands.
• Craig McLennon: an influential artist whose works have been showcased in various galleries around the world.
• Amy McLennon: an award-winning chef and restaurateur who is well-known for her creative dishes and unique take on cuisine.
• Thomas McLennon: an acclaimed Scottish novelist and historian who has written extensively on the history of Scotland.

Other surnames

McLennanMcLenny