Surname McMeichan - Meaning and Origin
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McMeichan: What does the surname McMeichan mean?
The surname McMeichan is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Mac Miadhachain, which means "son of the honorable one." This name has various spellings, including McMechan, McMeeken, McMeekan, among others, due to the translation from Gaelic to English. It is a patronymic name, wherein the prefix "Mac" or "Mc" denotes "son of." Therefore, the surname McMeichan essentially signifies being a descendant of a respected and honorable person. Like most surnames that originated from clan or family names, McMeichan would have been a way to identify individuals belonging to the same kinship group. However, it's worth noting that the meaning of a surname does not necessarily provide any valuable or specific insight into the characteristics or history of an individual bearing this name today.
Order DNA origin analysisMcMeichan: Where does the name McMeichan come from?
The surname McMeichan is of Scottish origin. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Mac Miadhachain," which translates to "son of the honorable one." This surname originated from the Gaelic personal name "Miadhachan."
The McMeichan surname rose in significance in the medieval period within the region of Argyll, located in Western Scotland. Over the years, families with the McMeichan surname migrated to various locations and the name evolved in different regions, often Anglicized under different spellings.
Today, the surname McMeichan can still mainly be found in Scotland, but it is also present in other parts of the world due to migration. The surname maintained a presence in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand among other countries. However, it is not a common name, making it more difficult to track its current prevalence. Despite its rarity, individuals with the McMeichan surname continue to influence and shape their communities wherever they are located around the globe.
Variations of the surname McMeichan
The surname McMeichan is of Irish Gaelic origin which is often Anglicized from "Mac Miadhachain", meaning son of Miadhach. It's not a very common surname and due to regional variations, literacy levels and pronunciation, the surname has been spelled in several different forms over centuries. These include McMichan, McMychan, McMican, McMitchen, McMechan, McMichen, McMichen, MacMeikan, MacMeachen, MacMechan, MacMychan, MacMitchan and others.
Often the prefixes "Mac" and "Mc", both of which denotes "son of", can be used interchangeably. Using one form or another can even come down to a family's personal preference. The "a" in Mac or Mc is often replaced with "e", "i","o" or "u". For instance, Mc or Mac can be Me, Mi, Mo or Mu. Also, the suffix "an” or "en” can be replaced with "on” or "in".
Further, it's common for the surnames of this sort to lose their prefixes altogether. Thus, "Meichan", "Meikan", "Mechan" or "Mitchen" are also valid versions of this surname. It's also worth noting that phonetic spellings can vary immensely in Scottish and Irish names, which makes the search for such variants a complex task.
Famous people with the name McMeichan
- Matthew McMeichan: Matthew McMeichan is an English actor best known for playing Tony in Ricky Gervais' internet series Learn Guitar with Mel and Tony.
- Fred McMeichan: Fred McMeichan was a British-born Canadian ice hockey goaltender who played two seasons with the Pittsburgh Hornets of the International Hockey League.
- Cat McMeichan: Cat McMeichan is an Australian television host, best known for presenting the children's television program Combustion, which aired on ABC3.
- Hugh McMeichan: Hugh McMeichan was a Scottish footballer who played as a right back for Middlesbrough and Fulham in the English Football League during the 1930s and 1940s.
- Neil McMeichan: Neil McMeichan is a Scottish football commentator, best known for providing commentary on BBC Radio Scotland's sports show, Sportsound.
- Ross McMeichan: Ross McMeichan is a British actor, best known for his roles in the British television series EastEnders and Doctors.
- Ella McMeichan: Ella McMeichan is a Scottish singer and songwriter from Glasgow, Scotland. Her debut single “You Know I’m Sorry” was released in 2012 and incorporated a blend of jazz, folk, and Americana.
- Jim McMeichan: Jim McMeichan is a Scottish footballer, who plays for Falkirk in the Scottish Championship, as a midfielder. He is also a Scotland under-21 international.
- Richie McMeichan: Richie McMeichan is a Scottish footballer who played for Irish club Dungannon Swifts from 2004 to 2008.
- Ewan McMeichan: Ewan McMeichan is a Scottish scriptwriter who has written for various television shows, including Doctor Who, EastEnders, Coronation Street, and Heartbeat.