Maclean Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Maclean last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Maclean last name
Meaning of the Maclean last name: son of the servant of John. Maclean is a Scottish surname from Gaelic Mac Gille Eathain, "son of the servant of Saint John". Clan Maclean held Duart Castle on Mull. The last name is common in the Hebrides, Canada and Australia, and writer Alistair MacLean is a well-known bearer.
Arms associated with the Maclean name
Coats of arms associated with the Maclean surname follow Scottish heraldry, where each blazon belongs to one bearer.
Get your full Maclean family history
This is only a glimpse of the Maclean story. The full Maclean history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Maclean coat of arms. Get the full Maclean report.
Maclean name FAQ
What does the Maclean name mean?
Son of the servant of John. Common variants include McLean, MacLaine.
Where does the Maclean surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Maclean coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Maclean coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).