McLeod Surname Meaning & Origin
What the McLeod last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the McLeod last name
Meaning of the McLeod last name: son of Leod. McLeod is a Scottish surname from Gaelic Mac Leòid, "son of Leod", a personal name of Old Norse origin (Ljótr). Clan MacLeod is tied to Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye and to Lewis and Harris. The last name travelled widely with Hebridean emigrants to Canada and Australia.
Arms associated with the McLeod name
In Scottish heraldry, coats of arms associated with the McLeod name are personal, each with its own blazon.
Get your full McLeod family history
This is only a glimpse of the McLeod story. The full McLeod 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 McLeod coat of arms. Get the full McLeod report.
McLeod name FAQ
What does the McLeod name mean?
Son of Leod. Common variants include MacLeod, Macleod.
Where does the McLeod surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a McLeod coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized McLeod 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).