Surname McPaden - Meaning and Origin

McPaden: What does the surname McPaden mean?

McPaden is a surname of Scottish origin and is thought to have derived from the Gaelic Mac Padain. This indicates a patronymic connection to a male ancestor with the given name Padan. It was likely a clan name, given to those families who were affiliated with the clan from the early middle ages to the 12th century.

The MacPaden clan was based in the east coast of Scotland, from the mouth of the River Clyde to the Firth of Forth, and were among the clans of the ancient Irish kingdom of Dál Riata, who settled in what is now Argyll and Bute, between the 5th and 8th centuries.

They were also connected to the powerful Mannanan family, related to the MacKenzie and Campbell clans, who held large tracts of land in the area.

The MacPadens held positions in the Clan MacKenzie, being the occasional burgesses of Oban and Kinlochbervie. They also held the post of Clan MacKenzie messenger.

Today, MacPaden is a relatively uncommon surname, although it still can be found in some parts of Scotland and some members of the clan emigrated to other parts of the world, in particular to Canada and the United States.

McPaden: Where does the name McPaden come from?

The last name McPaden is quite uncommon in 2021, but it has an extensive and diverse history throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, and North America. McPaden is derived from the Gaelic Mac an Páidín, meaning "son of the little Patrick". The surname has its roots in Scotland and Ireland, where it likely originated in the 11th to 12th centuries. Unfortunately, specifics about the early origins of the family are unknown.

There are a limited number of recorded McPaden's in Europe today, mainly located in the United Kingdom (where the surname is still quite popular in Scotland) and Ireland. Outside of the UK and Ireland, modern-day McPaden's are mainly found in the United States, where the name is mainly concentrated in the Midwest and the New England area. The United States currently houses the majority of the modern-day, McPaden population, with even a small handful having immigrated to Canada.

Due to the lack of extensive recorded records, it is impossible to speculate about the scope of the McPaden family today. However, the surname still persists, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Variations of the surname McPaden

The surname McPaden is a variant spelling of the Irish surname Mac Padain and is a patronymic derived from the ancient Gaelic personal name Padon, which means ‘son of Patrick’. The root of the surname is the given name ‘Patrick’, which is popular in both Ireland and Scotland, and is derived from the Latin name Patricius, which means ‘nobleman’.

The name Mac Padain is also recorded as MacPaden, McPadden, McPadain, McPadden, Padden, Paden, MacPadden, and MacPaden. Alternative spellings of similar surnames include Mac Padan, Padain, Paddon, Patten, Payten, and Peyton.

Variations on the spelling of the surname can be attributed to the difficulty in writing, pronouncing and understanding distinguishable spelling differences in times past. Variations in spelling of family surnames began to arise in the 11th and 12th Century with the introduction of surnames, which started out as simple descriptive bynames and later developed into hereditary surnames.

The surname McPaden is one of the most common Irish surnames and is also common in Scotch-Irish society. Due to migration patterns created during the Ulster Plantation period, the surname was spread to North America, especially the United States, and Canada.

Some variant spellings that can be associated with McPaden include MacPhedran, MacFadden, MacPeden, McFadyen, MacTaggart, MacGaffikin, and MacGaffigan. These surnames are associated with McPaden as a result of migration patterns and intermarriage over time.

Famous people with the name McPaden

• Ian McPaden: Film Director
• Erin McPaden: Model
• Robert McPaden: Politician
• Ruth McPaden: Actress
• Hugh McPaden: Musician
• Hazel McPaden: Author
• Derek McPaden: Pianist
• Sean McPaden: Artist
• Melody McPaden: Chef
• Martin McPaden: Footballer
• James McPaden: Environmental Activist
• Jeff McPaden: Comedian
• Maria McPaden: Yoga Instructor
• Charles McPaden: Actor
• Amy McPaden: Dancer
• Aaron McPaden: Journalist
• Chris McPaden: Costume Designer
• Regina McPaden: Art Gallery Curator
• Elizabeth McPaden: Cartoonist
• Stephen McPaden: Investment Banker
• Tom McPaden: Animator
• Deborah McPaden: Celebrity Stylist
• John McPaden: Plastic Surgeon
• Sandra McPaden: Classical Musician
• Arthur McPaden: Political Strategist

Other surnames

McPadden