Surname MacCrimmon - Meaning and Origin
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MacCrimmon: What does the surname MacCrimmon mean?
The last name MacCrimmon is derived from the Gaelic MacGrioghmhuinn (son of Griogair). It is a clan name associated with the Isle of Skye on the west coast of Scotland, in particular the area of Kilmuir in Trotternish. The name is associated with the MacLeods, a powerful Highland family.
The MacCrimmons were hereditary pipers to the MacLeods, a job that spanned centuries. The MacCrimmons had their own estate at Boreraig near Kilmuir where the family lived until the 19th century. The MacCrimmon Pipers of Skye were renowned for their musical skills and passed their knowledge down through the generations, teaching the art of MacCrimmon piping to younger generations to preserve and protect their legacy.
The MacCrimmon clan symbol is the Gaelic cross, symbolic of faith in God and protection against evil. In addition, the MacCrimmon crest includes a “Hand of God” charging a flag, with the motto “I will never desert” – indicative of their great loyalty to their family and clan.
Through their fierce loyalty, musical proficiency, and lasting legacy, the MacCrimmons remain an important part of Scottish culture to this day. Their story is one of resilience and of preserving their rich heritage in the face of adversity.
Order DNA origin analysisMacCrimmon: Where does the name MacCrimmon come from?
The last name MacCrimmon is most commonly found today in Scotland, Ireland, and Canada. It is closely associated with the Highlands of Scotland, where it originated, as well as the Isle of Skye and Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. The name is of Scottish-Gaelic origin, derived from the family's progenitor MacGrimmon. The MacCrimmon family is a renowned and respected one, with a storied and illustrious history.
The MacCrimmons were hereditary pipers to the MacLeods of MacLeod for over nine centuries, having been appointed to the role in the 1300s. The family were renowned throughout the Highlands for their skilled musicianship and composition of much Scottish traditional and folk music—perhaps most notably the famous 'MacCrimmon’s Lament'.
Each generation of MacCrimmons served the MacLeod clan until the family’s tradition was disrupted in 1731. Following the Jacobite Rising of 1745 and the subsequent Highland Clearances, the clan chief, the Twenty-Sixth Chief of MacLeod and last MacCrimmon hereditary piper, Cornet Roderick MacLeod, forfeited the family’s possessions on the Island of Skye, rendering the hereditary piper's occupation in jeopardy.
The dispersed MacCrimmons today can be found in many countries, although Scotland and its descendants remain the family's primary point of origin. Other countries with a notable number of MacCrimmon expatriates include the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Variations of the surname MacCrimmon
The MacCrimmon surname has a variety of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These include Mac Crimmon, McCrimmon, MacCrimmon, Mac Crimmone, Crimmon and Crimmone.
In Scotland, the Gaelic-derived MacCrimmon surname was established as early as the 16th century in the western Highlands and the Hebrides. The origin of the name is unclear, but it is likely to have been derived from the Gaelic phrase Mac Gille Chrìomain which means 'son of the servant of Criomain'. Criomain was possibly a diminutive of Criomthann, an old Gaelic personal name, meaning 'the leader of the foxes'. In other words, it could have been a nickname associated with the clan's lineage or their traditional occupations.
The MacCrimmon surname is also found in other parts of the British Isles, mainly in Northern Ireland and in parts of England. Here, the approximate Gaelic spelling is 'Mac Gille Chrìomhaig', which in English translates as 'son of the servant of Crimhthach'. Crimhthach was the Gaelic version of the Anglo-Saxon Crunwulf, meaning 'strong wolf'.
Overall, the MacCrimmon surname is one of strength and power. It was adopted by many Scottish and Irish clans, and its variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin attest to its success and wide spread.
Famous people with the name MacCrimmon
- Alasdair MacCrimmon: an internationally renowned Highland piper, known as one of the most accomplished solo players in the world
- Angus MacCrimmon: a Scottish piper, best known for being the first recorded piper to the MacLeod Clan in 1700s
- Angus Ann MacCrimmon: a Canadian singer and songwriter
- Donnie MacCrimmon: a Scottish fiddle player, singer, and songwriter
- Kenny MacCrimmon: a Scottish musician and singer-songwriter
- Mairi-Louise MacCrimmon: a Scottish sculptor
- Neil MacCrimmon: a Scottish piper and educator
- Rory MacCrimmon: a Scottish piper, known for being the first son of the MacLeod Clan's MacCrimmon family of pipers
- William MacCrimmon: a former MacLeod Clan piper, known for writing the landmark piping book "Piobaireachd As File"
- Wilma MacCrimmon: a Canadian folk singer and musicologist