Surname MacEllin - Meaning and Origin
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MacEllin: What does the surname MacEllin mean?
The surname MacEllin is of Scottish origin and is derived from the Gaelic Mac Gille Fhinnein, which means son of the fair lad. It is often found in records associated with the western coast of Scotland in areas such as Argyll and the Islands. This surname can also be found as MacElling, MacGille Fhinnein or MacFinin.
The spelling variations reflect the changing spellings over time, with the anglicisation of Highland names, and the influence of English. The root of the surname is the Gaelic for fair, which denoted fair-haired people in Scotland. It is possible that at some stage in the past a member of the family had fair hair, which led to the family adopting the surname.
The name MacEllin is also associated with Clan MacFarlane. Historians believe the MacEllin family are a branch of the larger MacFarlane clan, and based on records from the 1500s, there was a Benjamin MacEllin who lived in the area.
Today, the surname exists in both Scotland and those countries where people of Scottish descent have settled, such as Canada and the USA. The name is part of Scottish cultural heritage and represents a proud and distinguished past.
Order DNA origin analysisMacEllin: Where does the name MacEllin come from?
The last name MacEllin is originally of Gaelic origin and is most commonly found in Scotland today.
It is believed to have been first found in Aberdeenshire, where, by the 12th century, the place of MacEllerg of Abirden and the lands of Aberlour were held by either the MacEillans, MacEllans or MacEllins. This helps to establish the root of the family and where the name originated from.
This surname is still fairly common in Scotland today, especially around the Aberdeenshire area. It appears most predominantly in the City of Aberdeen, in the regions of Aberdeenshire and nearby Inverness. Other clans of MacEllin can be found around Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dundee.
In addition to modern-day Scotland, the name is increasingly common in other parts of the world, largely due to the mass emigration of Scots in the 19th century. It can be found in America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and especially in areas with regions that had large Scottish populations, such as parts of the US, Canada, and Australia.
The MacEllin name is closely linked to the Angus family and may have a shared ancestry. Additionally, one of the clan's mottoes is "Variis Una Fides", which roughly translates to "One Faith for All". This can also be traced back to the Gaelic roots of the name.
Variations of the surname MacEllin
MacEllin is a Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Gille Eoin, which means “son of the servant of John.” Over time, the MacEllin surname has undergone several changes in spelling and pronunciation. Variants of MacEllin include MacEillin, MacEllen, MacAlin, MacEllon, MacEillen, MacEwin, MacGillin, MacIln and MacIlven.
In some instances, the MacEllin name was anglicised to Maclean. For example, the Clan Maclean is known to have originated from MacGille Eoin. Other anglicised versions which arose include the surnames MacKellin, MacKellen, MacKelon, MacKilven and MacKillin.
Due to the various regional and dialectal pronunciations of the surname, some distinctively different spellings emerged. These spellings pertain to regions in the northern parts of Scotland, such as MacClain, MacClane, MacCleon and MacAline.
An additional variant, which is thought to be related to the MacEllin surname, is MacGillespick. In some instances, the surnames Gilin, Gilven and Gillin are derived from the Gaelic Mac Gille Eoin.
It is interesting to note that over time, MacEllin became associated with the Clan MacArthur. The Clan MacArthur was a Scottish clan of Irish origins, who made their home in Argyll and the Inner Hebrides. Thus, as a result of their strong association, MacEllin is also used as a variant spelling of the surname MacArthur.
Famous people with the name MacEllin
- Robert MacEllin: Scottish broadcaster and writer, best known for his work with STV and BBC Radio Scotland.
- Murray MacEllin: Canadian actor, singer and writer, known for his roles in Red Riding Hood and Highlander.
- Stacy MacEllin: American singer and songwriter, known for her collaborations with Taylor Swift and Natasha Bedingfield.
- John MacEllin: British actor, best known for roles in Chariots of Fire, Miami Vice and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
- Alastair MacEllin: Scottish artist, known for his portraits of celebrities and landscapes.
- Bryan MacEllin: Canadian attorney and philanthropist, responsible for many charitable causes and charitable foundations in Canada.
- Graham MacEllin: British actor, known for roles in Coronation Street, Emmerdale and EastEnders.
- Andrew MacEllin: South African actor and comedian, known for his studio comedy show Laugh-in Africa.
- Mairi MacEllin: Scottish singer-songwriter and author, known for her albums Silver and Stone and Mairi MacEllin and the Silver Lining.
- Aaron MacEllin: Canadian-American actor, known for roles in Men in Trees and Supernatural.