Surname MacAlpine - Meaning and Origin
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MacAlpine: What does the surname MacAlpine mean?
The surname MacAlpine is of Scottish origin and signifies a “son of Alpine.” It is derived from the Gaelic name MacAilpein, where "mac" means son and "Ailpein" is a personal name. The name "Ailpein" is thought to honor King Alpin II of Dalriata, who ruled Scotland in the 9th century. Thus, those bearing the MacAlpine name are thought to be descendants of this king. More broadly, the surname may represent a geographical reference to the Scottish Highlands, also known as Alba, the Gaelic term for Scotland. Therefore, the name could also mean "son of the Scottish Highlands." Over years and generations, the name has evolved into numerous forms including MacAlpin, MacAlpine, MacAlpyne, and others. The MacAlpines are traditionally part of the ancient and prestigious Scottish Clan MacAlpine.
Order DNA origin analysisMacAlpine: Where does the name MacAlpine come from?
The last name MacAlpine is of Scottish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Ailpein," which may also be Anglicized as Alpin. There are legendary Scottish kings who bore this name, and the Poppleton Manuscript traces its origin back to ancient Pictish kings. As the "mac" prefix in Scottish & Irish names means "son of," the name can be translated as "son of Alpin," attributing descent from these historical figures.
In the Middle Ages, MacAlpines were part of a large and powerful clan, Clan MacAlpine, based in the highlands of Scotland. Though MacAlpine can also refer more generally to those who hail from the Alpine region, this is less common.
Today, the MacAlpine name, as with many Scottish surnames, is dispersed widely owing to historical factors like emigration during the Highland Clearances of the 18th and 19th centuries. The name is still prevalent in Scotland, but it can also be found in places to which Scots emigrated, notably other parts of the British Isles, as well as North America, Australia, and New Zealand.
Variations of the surname MacAlpine
The surname MacAlpine is of Scottish origin and derived from the Gaelic "Mac Ailpein," which means 'son of Alpin'. Alpin was a popular first name in medieval Scotland.
Variants of the surname MacAlpine include MacAlpin, McAlpine, McAlpin, MacElpin, MacAlpinson, McAlpine, McApline, McAlpinson, and Makalpyne. The surname may also be anglicized or translated into different languages, therefore producing different spellings. For example, the inclusion or omission of the prefix 'Mac' or 'Mc' can signal a Gaelic or English spelling variance respectively. The 'Mc' prefix is commonly used in Ireland while 'Mac' is more typically Scottish, however both prefixes mean 'son of', signifying lineage.
The surname may have differing spellings depending on geographical location and dialect, like Mackalpin, Mackelpin, Mackelpine, Makelpin, and Mackilpin. Also, the assimilation of the surname in other countries may have led to the creation of surnames such as Alpine, Elpin, Alpin, Alpene or Alpen, though these need verification.
In addition, mistakes in archival records due to factors such as phonetic spelling by clerks, poor literacy rates, and language translation have resulted in numerous variations of the MacAlpine surname in historic documents.
Famous people with the name MacAlpine
- Angus MacAlpine: a Scottish professional footballer who currently plays for Stirling Albion in the League Two of the Scottish Professional Football League.
- Alena MacAlpine: an actor who has appeared in over 50 movies and TV shows.
- Chris MacAlpine: a professional MMA fighter who competed in the UFC and Cage Rage promotions.
- David MacAlpine: a British-born Australian singer-songwriter, musician and record producer.
- Steve MacAlpine: an American professional racer who has competed in a variety of open wheel racing series, including IndyCar.
- Richard MacAlpine: a Canadian actor who has appeared in several films and television series.
- Paul MacAlpine: a Canadian game show host and celebrity announcer who has been a contestant on various game shows.
- Stuart MacAlpine: an Australian jazz musician, composer and singer who was part of the Iota Trio.
- Ron MacAlpine: a Canadian professional extremity mountain biker and freerider.
- Alice MacAlpine: a Canadian country music singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose debut album "The Long Goodbye" earned her a nomination for Best New Solo Artist at the 2010 Canadian Country Music Awards.