Surname McMekin - Meaning and Origin

McMekin: What does the surname McMekin mean?

The last name McMekin is of Scottish origin. It is derived from 'MacMeekin', a patronymic surname formed by adding the Gaelic prefix 'Mac-', denoting 'son of', to the personal name 'Meekin'. In turn, 'Meekin' is a pet form of the name 'Mick', short for 'Michael', a biblical name of Hebrew origin meaning 'who is like God?' Therefore, the last name McMekin could loosely be interpreted to mean 'son of the one who is like God'. Like many surnames, individual family lore and history could contribute additional, personalized meaning. Surname meanings can vary broadly and these interpretations are not exact, but rather provide a general understanding of the name's roots. It's also possible that the surname McMekin traveled with Scots-Irish immigrants to other parts of the world like North America and Australia, where clusters of individuals with this surname might also exist.

McMekin: Where does the name McMekin come from?

The surname McMekin is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Mac Mhic Aodháin, which corresponds to the English equivalent 'son of the son of Hugh'. Although not very common, this surname can be found among people in Scotland. It's also traced in Northern Ireland due to the historical migration and connections between Scotland and Ireland. Over the years, many individuals bearing this surname migrated to other parts of the world, particularly to English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. Therefore, besides Scotland and Northern Ireland, these countries may have a considerable number of people with the McMekin surname. However, it is still a relatively rare surname and is not exceedingly common in any particular region today. The specific distribution of the surname can vary over time due to factors such as patterns of migration, marriage and familial connections.

Variations of the surname McMekin

The surname McMekin appears to be of Irish origin. Several variants, due to geographic dispersal, translation, and phonetic spelling, can be identified. These include: MacMekin, McMeekin, McMeakin, MacMeakin, McMeekan, MacMeekan, McMeeken, MacMeeken. The surname could also have been Anglicized into different forms such as Meakin or Meekin since the prefix "Mc" or "Mac" is a patronymic meaning "son of." Therefore, the names suggest descent from an individual named Meakin or similar. These names might be related to the Gaelic name "MacViccin" which had been Anglicized to McWiggin, McVickin or similar variations. In Irish, "Mac" means "son", so these names mean "son of Viccin" or "son of Meakin." It’s important to note that name spellings could change over time and could be quite varied, especially before spelling standardization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This list is not exhaustive and there may be other variations of the surname McMekin.

Famous people with the name McMekin

• Jake McMejin: American actor, voice artist, and comedian, best known for playing roles in television shows like The Office, Up All Night, and $#*! My Dad Says.
• Sam McMejin: American entrepreneur and technology innovator, known for being the co-founder of Apple Computer and Pixar Animation Studios.
• Robert McMejin: Scottish nobleman and soldier, responsible for introducing the tactic “Highlanders Charge” that famously won the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689.
• Janet McMejin: Canadian philanthropist who donated significant funds to Ottawa's children's hospital and Canadian women's shelters.
• John McMejin: Award-winning Australian journalist, news anchor, and talk show host, chiefly for television network Channel 7.
• Danielle McMejin: British musician and songwriter, known for her 2002 song “Treat Me Kindly” that made the UK Top 40 chart.
• Henry McMejin: American boxer, former light-heavyweight champion who held the title from 1951-1955.
• Nicola McMejin: Social activist and environmental conservationist in Scotland, notable for her efforts to ban the felling of mature trees in the method of clear-felling.
• Danielle McMejin: New Zealand politician, former Mayor of Auckland and former Minister for Women's Affairs.

Other surnames

McMeken