Surname McMullens - Meaning and Origin

McMullens: What does the surname McMullens mean?

The surname McMullens is of Irish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic name Mac Maoláin, which is a patronymic form meaning ‘son of Maolán’. The personal name Maolán is a diminutive form of ‘maol’, which means ‘bald’ or ‘tonsure’. In the religious context, it was often used to refer to a disciple or devotee of a particular saint or religious figure. Thus, the literal interpretation of the surname McMullens would be ‘son of the devotee’. Over centuries, surnames have evolved and may not retain their literal interpretation in a contemporary context. Like many surnames beginning with ‘Mac’ or ‘Mc’ (meaning ‘son of’), this name illustrates the importance of genealogical lineage in traditional Gaelic culture. Hence, the McMullens surname can be linked back to familial ancestral lines with religious affiliations, but does not necessarily carry that connotation in the present day.

McMullens: Where does the name McMullens come from?

The last name McMullens is of Irish origin. The prefix "Mc" in Gaelic means "son of," so McMullens essentially means "son of Mullens." This surname specifically comes from the Irish personal name "Maolán," a diminutive of "maol," which means "bald" in Gaelic. This was often used in a metaphorical sense to refer to someone who was devout or holy, as Irish monks would traditionally shave their heads.

Today, the last name McMullens is most common in English-speaking countries due to historical Irish diaspora, with significant populations in Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. In the US, it’s particularly common in states that have high populations of people with Irish heritage like New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. However, the spelling may slightly vary (such as McMullen or McMullin), but they all have similar origins. Despite these variations, these surnames all refer to descendants of the same Gaelic clans originating in Ireland.

Variations of the surname McMullens

The surname McMullens has originated from Scotland and Ireland, known for having a rich tradition of family surnames. Variants of this surname often reflect the translations of the name from the original Gaelic. Other factors leading to variations could be spelling mistakes in the records where names were listed, such as during immigration. The surname is sometimes rendered as MacMullen, McMullen, McMillan, McMillen, or MacMillan in English-speaking countries.

Sometimes, prefixes are also omitted, thus it could be also found as simply Mullen or Millan. Additionally, the 'c' in 'Mc' might sometimes be replaced with 'g', as in MagMullan or instead 'k' might be used like in McKmullen. The same surname also has variants based on regional dialects and pronunciation, hence names like MacMaolain (in Scotland and Northern Ireland) and Mac Maoláin (in Ireland) are not uncommon.

Surnames with similar origins could also be considered as possible variants, for instance, O'Mullan, O'Mullen or Milligan, which have roots in the same Gaelic patronymic tradition. Also versions where 'Mac', meaning 'son of', is replaced with 'O', implying 'descendant of', might exist in certain records. Remember, multiple spelling variations might co-exist even within the same immediate family.

Famous people with the name McMullens

• Vinny McMullen: American former professional basketball player who played in the NBA
• James McMullen: British actor, director, and screenwriter
• Jonathan McMullen: British former professional boxer
• William McMullen: American theologian and former president of the University of Scranton
• John McMullen: American lawyer who represented former NBA player Kevin Love in arbitration proceedings
• Lewis McMullen: American former professional basketball player who played in the NBA
• Margi McMullen: American author and YouTube star
• Sarah McMullen: Australian Paralympic competitor in wheelchair basketball
• Craig McMullen: former American professional basketball player who played in the ABA
• Hannah McMullen: oldest of the McMullen sisters, popular live comedy act in the UK

Other surnames

McMullen