Surname McFalls - Meaning and Origin

McFalls: What does the surname McFalls mean?

The last name McFalls is of Scottish origin. 'Mc' in Scottish surnames typically means "son of," however, the meaning of 'Falls' is less clear as it could indicate a variety of descriptive factors such as a location, an occupation, or a personal characteristic. Some possible interpretations for 'Falls' could be that it is referring to a waterfall, a personal trait (like clumsiness), or an occupational term for someone who worked with waterfalls or who lived near a waterfall. The exact meaning of the surname McFalls may be difficult to pinpoint given the many possibilities of the latter part of the name, and because surname meanings can evolve and change over time. Like most surnames, the family would have been given this name for a specific reason, like occupation or location, and then it would have been passed down through the generations.

McFalls: Where does the name McFalls come from?

The surname McFalls is of Scottish and Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac an Fhailghigh" which translates to "son of the poor man" or "son of the humble man". The McFalls surname originated from a tribe in Argyll, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Certain branches of this tribe migrated to Ulster, a region that encompasses parts of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, where the name took on the Anglicized form of McFalls.

Today, the McFalls surname is spread across the world due to migration and diaspora, but it is particularly common in English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, in addition to Ireland and Scotland. In all these regions, you'll find individuals and families bearing the McFalls surname, reflecting the diverse heritage and widespread influence of this Gaelic tribe.

Variations of the surname McFalls

The surname McFalls has a few alternate spellings and is thought to originate from Scotland or Ireland. Variants include MacFalls, McFall, MacFall, McFaul, MacFaul, McAfall, and MacAfall. It's also possibly related to the Scottish surnames MacPhail and McPhail.

In certain circumstances, the prefix “Mc” or “Mac” (meaning 'son of' in Gaelic) might have been dropped or changed, leading to further variations such as Falls, Fall, Fauls or Faul. Variations in spelling were common due to the lack of standardization in early record keeping, as well as different interpretations of the Gaelic pronunciation by English scribes.

In cases of immigration, the name could have been “Anglicized,” or altered to fit English spelling rules, thus creating additional versions of the name. These might include McPhall, McFail, McPhaul, and others. It’s also worth noting that not all people with these names will have common ancestry, as surnames were often derived independently from various sources such as occupations, geographical locations, and personal nicknames.

Famous people with the name McFalls

• Randall McFalls: actor and comedian who appeared in many films, TV shows, and stand-up comedy specials.
• Hannah McFalls: actress and singer known for roles in TV series such as Star-Crossed and Riverdale.
• Jordan McFalls: professional NBA player who won the NBA championship with the Miami Heat in 2006.
• Katrina McFalls: Olympic swimmer who won a gold medal in the 4x100 m freestyle relay in Athens in 2004.
• Nathaniel McFalls: International figure skater who won a bronze medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.
• John McFalls: Grammy-nominated jazz musician who has released five albums to date.
• Austin McFalls: country music singer-songwriter who released his debut album in 2018.
• Shawn McFalls: Emmy-award winning sound designer known for his work on the Netflix series Stranger Things.
• Kelly McFalls: musician and actress known for her role in the 2012 film Dead Man on Campus.
• George McFalls: Voice-over actor best known for voicing several characters in the animated series Jump! and Bob's Burgers.

Other surnames

McFall