Surname McMychen - Meaning and Origin

McMychen: What does the surname McMychen mean?

The last name McMychen is an Irish surname. It is a variant of the surname McMullen which is derived from the Gaelic "MacMaolain" meaning "son of the servant of St John."

McMychen comes from the medieval era when hereditary surnames were first introduced to Ireland. During this time, MacMaolain was Anglicized to McMullen or McMychen. Although the name was anglicized, it traces back to the Ulster Scots.

The surname McMychen usually refers to families from County Down in Northern Ireland. As a Catholic family, the McMychens likely had strong ties to the local parish during this time period. Until the 20th century, the McMychens lived primarily in County Down and the surrounding area.

Today, the last name McMychen can be found throughout the Irish diaspora. People who carry the name often have strong ties to their Irish heritage and the city of Armagh in particular.

The McMychen family is a proud and esteemed one that has been part of the Catholic tradition for centuries. While the family has spread far and wide, their Irish roots are still a point of pride and connection for all members of the McMychen family.

McMychen: Where does the name McMychen come from?

The surname McMychen does not appear to be common or widely recognized. It may be a variation of other more common surnames, possibly of Scottish or Irish origin given the "Mc" prefix, which means "son of" in both cultures. However, the inability to find clear references or records indicates it might be extremely rare, misunderstood, misspelled, or possibly a newly developed surname. When conducting a surname search, it is crucial to consider potential variations in spelling as surnames have often changed over generations due to factors like migration, regional dialects, and illiteracy in the past. In modern times, some people change or alter their surnames for personal reasons, which can also lead to unique and less common names. As it stands, based on available records, the surname McMychen does not seem to be common anywhere today.

Variations of the surname McMychen

The surname McMychen appears to be quite rare and specific and its variants or alternative spellings aren't readily available in common databases. However, it seems to be of Scottish or Irish origin, similar to the more common surnames like McMicken, McMitchin, McMichen, McMichael or McMichan.

Surnames often change over the years due to the influence of factors like immigration, illiteracy (spelling the name phonetically), and regional accents. So, it's possible that the name McMychen could have different origins.

The "Mc" prefix typically means "son of," so the ancestor of this lineage could have been named Mychen or a variant thereof. However, without further specific genealogical data, it's challenging to provide a definitive list of variants or origins for the surname McMychen.

Remember, genealogical research can be complex, so if you're curious about a specific surname origin or variant, it may be worth consulting dedicated genealogy resources or hiring a professional genealogist.

Famous people with the name McMychen

• Doyle McMychen: a country music artist.
• Lynne McMychen: an American ballet dancer and television actress.
• Bill McMychen: a former American football player who played for the Denver Broncos.
• George McMychen: a Scottish religious scholar and poet.
• Mack McMychen: an American basketball player and coach, and the former head coach for the Dallas Mavericks.
• Lee McMychen: an American football player who played for the Green Bay Packers.
• J.T. McMychen: an American baseball player who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
• Al McMychen: an American jazz saxophonist and member of the swing quartet The Clippers.
• Paul McMychen: an American professional golfer who won the 1979 PGA Tour Players Championship.
• John McMychen: an American novelist and short-story writer.

Other surnames

McMychin