Surname MacCowin - Meaning and Origin

MacCowin: What does the surname MacCowin mean?

The last name MacCowin is a Scottish surname of Gaelic origin. The root of the surname is ‘Mac Dhubhagáin’, meaning ‘son of Dubhagán’. Dubhagán itself has various interpretations, including ‘dark little man’ or ‘little Robin’.

The MacCowin family are believed to have originated in the Highlands of Scotland, where they likely descended from the Dalriadan Scots who settled in the region from Ireland during the sixth century AD. From there, the surname spread throughout Scotland, eventually finding its way to the United States and other countries.

Today, the MacCowins are a global family, with several branches located in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. It is even rumored that some of the family migrated as far south as Chile and Argentina.

No matter where the MacCowins are found, their ancestral roots in Scotland remain a source of pride for the family. Though a Gaelic surname, the MacCowins have proved that they can thrive in any society they live in, and have continued to do so for hundreds of years.

MacCowin: Where does the name MacCowin come from?

The last name MacCowin is common primarily in North America and Europe. In North America, the most common places to find the surname MacCowin are Newfoundland, Canada, and Oklahoma in the United States. In Europe, the surname is most commonly found in Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales.

The surname MacCowin is a patronymic surname derived from the Gaelic first name "MacGobhain," which translates to "son of a smith" or "son of a blacksmith." This surname can be found in alternate spellings, such as MacCowin, MacGowan, McGowan, McGown, and MacGaven.

The MacCowin surname is relatively rare, with only about 2,000 individuals carrying the name worldwide. It is most common in countries where Gaelic is natively spoken, such as Ireland and Scotland. In the US, the surname is relatively uncommon. There are fewer than 5,000 individuals in the country who carry the MacCowin surname, and the majority of those individuals can be found in the states of Oklahoma, California, New York, and Michigan.

In the US, the surname MacCowin is most common in the state of Oklahoma, where there are nearly 1,000 individuals who carry the surname. People bearing the MacCowin surname in Oklahoma are primarily of Scottish and Irish descent.

In Europe, the surname MacCowin is most common in Scotland, where there are nearly 800 individuals who carry the surname. People bearing this surname in Scotland are primarily of Scottish descent and have had the surname for generations.

Regardless of where individuals with the MacCowin surname come from, they share a common heritage and roots that trace back to the early Gaelic clans of Ireland and Scotland.

Variations of the surname MacCowin

The surname MacCowin is an Anglicized variant of the Irish Gaelic Mac Aodhagain (pronounced Mac Awin). This surname can be seen spelled in many different ways, including MacCowin, Mac Ewing, Mac Kewin, Mac Keon, Mac Keene, MacKewen, McKowin, MacKewin, MacQuoin, MacCone and MacEwen.

Mac Aodhagain is an ancient Irish name, made up of two Gaelic components. The prefix 'Mac' means 'son of', while the second part 'Áodhagán' is a personal name derived from the Old Irish name Áedán, meaning 'fire'.

It can be found most frequently in Northern Ireland, with further variations including MacQuoon, MacKeen, and MacEwan, particularly in Scotland. Another variant, Cowin, is more commonly seen in England, where it was introduced at an early date by Anglo-Saxon settlers.

MacCowin is most often seen in its Irish form, but the variants spread through other parts of the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the rest of the English-speaking world. The surname can also be found in its ancient Gaelic form of Mac Aodhagain.

Famous people with the name MacCowin

• Dave MacCowin: Canadian television producer
• Paul MacCowin: British actor
• Robert MacCowin: American actor
• Ben MacCowin: Australian professional golfer
• Jenny MacCowin: American health activist
• Michelle MacCowin: Canadian fashion designer
• Trixie MacCowin: Australian musician
• Joel MacCowin: Canadian software developer
• Elspeth MacCowin: British actress
• Jamie MacCowin: American entrepreneur and inventor
• Adam MacCowin: British entrepreneur
• Sam MacCowin: Canadian recording artist
• Louise MacCowin: American painter
• Nick MacCowin: Scottish theatre director
• Mark MacCowin: British athlete
• Jordan MacCowin: Australian social media influencer

Other surnames

MacCowanMacCowen