Surname McClarnon - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
McClarnon: What does the surname McClarnon mean?
The surname McClarnon is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Mac Cláirín, which means "son of Cláirín." Cláirín is a diminutive form of the name Clair, which in Irish means plain or gentle. Thus, the literal translation of the surname can be understood as "son of the gentle one." The name McClarnon is widespread in Northern Ireland, particularly in the County Antrim region. As with many surnames of Gaelic origin, there are variations in its spelling including McClarnon, McLarnon, McClernon, and McClarnan, due to the translation from the Gaelic alphabet to the English one. As people from Ireland emigrated to other countries, these names have spread, and you may find people with this surname in places like the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Please remember that the meanings of surnames can vary and interpretations can be subjective.
Order DNA origin analysisMcClarnon: Where does the name McClarnon come from?
The surname McClarnon is of Irish origin, stemming from the Gaelic Mac Clárainn, where "Mac" meaning son of, and "Clárainn" is a personal name, signifying the descendants of Clárainn. The surname traced back to ancient Celtic culture of Ireland. The name was initially exemplary in the northern region of Ireland, notably in Counties Antrim and Derry, because it was first found in County Derry where they were found around 1400. This family was strongly allied with the O'Neills and the O'Donnells.
Today, the McClarnon surname is common in various regions across the globe due to Irish migration, but it remains particularly prevalent in Northern Ireland. Likewise, you can also find concentrations of people named McClarnon in other countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia where the Irish diaspora is significant. However, the name is not very commonplace and rather exclusive, preserving its ties to Irish ancestry and heritage. This geographical distribution of the McClarnon surname is subject to fluctuations due to ongoing population movements.
Variations of the surname McClarnon
The surname McClarnon is believed to be of Irish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Cléirchín" which is composed of the elements "Mac" meaning "son of", "Cleireach" meaning "clerk" or "cleric", and the diminutive suffix "in". This name was usually given to the son of a cleric or scholar.
Multiple variations, spellings, and surnames can be linked to the original "Mac Cléirchín". These include: McClarnan, McClearkin, MacLarnon, MacClarnon, Clarnon, Clanon, McClerkin, McClearnon, McClearon, McLarnon, McLearnan, McLearnen, and McLernon.
The variance in spelling is often due to phonetic translations from Gaelic to English, specific historical records, geographical spread, or simply personal preference impacting how the name has evolved over centuries. The prefix variations of “Mac,” “Mc,” and even a simple “C” at the start of the name are common, reflecting the shift in English and Irish language use and surname conventions over time.
There may be even more regional dialect specific variations of the surname in areas across Ireland, the British Isles and other diasporic Irish communities worldwide.
Famous people with the name McClarnon
- Rockmond Dunbar: American actor, known for Prison Break, The Chicago Code and Soul Food
- Doug McClarnon: Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker and Director of Photography
- Shannon McClarnon: British jazz and soul singer
- Shane McClarnon: Former professional boxer
- Jeff McClarnon: Former professional Canadian football player
- Thalmus Rasulala: American actor, known for Cool Breeze and Sounder
- Tress MacNeille: American voice actress, known for The Simpsons and Animaniacs
- Tom McClarnon: Canadian television producer and screenwriter
- Joey McLarnon: British musician and singer-songwriter
- Sean McClarnon: American actor, known for Saved by the Bell, True Blood and Providence.