Surname McMeikan - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
McMeikan: What does the surname McMeikan mean?
The surname McMeikan is of Scottish origin, specifically from the region of Galloway in southwestern Scotland. This surname is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Miadhachain, which means "son of the honorable one." Names that begin with "Mac" or "Mc" derive from the Gaelic word "Mac," meaning "son of," followed by the personal name of the original bearer. Therefore, individuals with the surname McMeikan are descendants of a person who was greatly respected within their community. As with many surnames, the spelling of McMeikan may have changed over time due to various factors like geographical location and phonetics. It's important to note that understanding the precise meaning of a surname can be complex due to the significant historical and regional variances.
Order DNA origin analysisMcMeikan: Where does the name McMeikan come from?
The surname McMeikan is of Scottish origin. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Mac Maolchaluim" which translates to "son of Maolchaluim". "Maolchaluim" is a personal name meaning "devotee of St. Columba". St. Columba is a notable figure in the Christian church who brought Christianity to Scotland.
McMeikan is not a very common name today and is spread thinly worldwide, but its highest concentrations are found in countries that have seen significant Scottish migration. These include the United Kingdom, particularly Scotland, as well as other countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Within these countries, the distribution of the McMeikan surname is still relatively sparse, likely due to the several different spellings and derivatives that have emerged over the years.
Variations of the surname McMeikan
The surname McMeikan is of Scottish origin and is relatively uncommon. Variations of this name could stem from phonetic spellings or translations into different languages. Some known variants and similar surnames include McMeekan, McMeeken, and McMeeking. Also, given McMeikan’s Scottish origins, its root may be the Gaelic "Mac Miadhachain," which has other variant spellings such as McMeighan, McMiagh, McMickan, McMicken, McMicking, McMickon, McMiken, McMechan, McMichan, McMickin and several others.
The prefix ‘Mac’ or ‘Mc’ is Gaelic for ‘son of’ so other variants might just carry the suffix (like ‘Meekan’ or 'Meeken') without the prefix, although this would be less common. Also, names can often be translated into English, so "Miadhachain" translates to "the honorable one,” so the possiblity of translations based on that could be plentiful. These variations could also be geographically based, as different regions may adapt the name in unique ways.
Please note this is an extensive but not necessarily exhaustive list, and surname changes occur over centuries due to immigration, regional dialects, and personal preference.
Famous people with the name McMeikan
- Rob McMeikan: British actor best known for the films Mean Machine and Revolver.
- James McMeikan: British singer-songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of the band Embrace.
- Laura McMeikan: British television presenter and author of food shows.
- Erik McMeikan: American football quarterback who played for the Detroit Lions in the NFL.
- Carolyn McMeikan: Canadian visual artist and professor at Concordia University.
- Finley McMeikan: Australian rugby league player for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
- Sandy McMeikan: British children's novelist from the 1950s whose book Bluster the Beanpole was adapted into a film.
- James McMeikan: British architect and designer, whose work includes the Tate Britain, the London Aquatic Centre, and the Olympic Park in Stratford.
- Peter McMeikan: British race car driver who competed in the British Grand Prix and the World Sportscar championship during the 1970s.
- Charlotte McMeikan: British fashion model and television presenter, who was crowned Miss England in 2016.