Surname MacKilfillen - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
MacKilfillen: What does the surname MacKilfillen mean?
The origin of the MacKilfillen last name is uncertain. It’s likely of Scottish origin, as there are records in Scotland of the name, and there is a long-standing tradition of Clan MacKilfillen in that country.
The Scottish meaning of the name is ‘son of Kilfillen’, and historian Sayles suggests that Kilfillen was derived from the Gaelic term ‘ceallfill’, meaning ‘churchman’. Even in Scotland, however, it may be of Irish origin as the MacKilfillen family has a long history in Ireland, and many of the earliest records of the family are there.
The MacKilfillen name was carried to the United States during the waves of Irish immigrants coming during the famine of the 1840s and 1850s. From there, the name spread to Canada, Australia, and other countries.
The phrase ‘maccillophilin’ has been in use since at least the 16th century, and it has generally been used to describe someone who is devoted to the church, or someone who puts the church first. It’s possible that this phrase was readapted as ‘maccilfillen’ when it came over to the United States.
Though its exact origin is uncertain, the MacKilfillen last name is a symbol of generations of people dedicated to their faith and proud of their heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisMacKilfillen: Where does the name MacKilfillen come from?
The last name MacKilfillen is generally associated with Scotland and Ireland. Though originally coming from a small area in Scotland within the counties of Dumfries, Wigtonshire and Ayrshire, today MacKilfillen can be found all over the world.
In Scotland, the main concentration of MacKilfillens can be found in Glasgow and Edinburgh. In Ireland, however, the surname is more prevalent in the counties of Cork, Wexford, and Antrim. MacKilfillen can also be found scattered across the rest of the UK, as well as some parts of the US, Australia, and New Zealand.
There is no real trace of the name before the 1700s, though this is likely due to incomplete records from this period. It is likely that the MacKilfillen’s were originally a family of kings or lords in Scotland.
Though the last name is only rare today, in Scotland it is one of the most common. Records from the 19th century suggest that close to 10 percent of the population carried the last name MacKilfillen.
Despite its popularity in Scotland and its rarity elsewhere, the MacKilfillen name will likely remain popular not just with Scottish communities, but with people from around the globe with ancestry that ties back to Scotland.
Variations of the surname MacKilfillen
The surname MacKilfillen is an ancient Irish surname of either Scottish or Irish origin. It is derived from the old Gaelic name MacGiolla Phoilín, which literally means “son of the devotee of (St.) Phellan”. Variations of the surname include MacKilfillin, MacKilfen, MacKillfin, McKilfin, McKillen, McKillop, McKillion, Kilfeen, Killfin, Killop, Killen, Killion, and Kilponen.
In Scotland, variations of the surname include MacGilfinnan and Mac Gilfillian. These surnames originate from the Clan Gillefinn of Perthshire, and were once centred in and around Kintyre in Argyll.
In Ireland, variations include Mac Gille Phoilin, Mac Gillfillan, Mac Gillphillan, Mac Gillecholpon, MacGillfinn, MacGillephiloin, MacKillipon, MacKillan and MacKillen. These surname variations come from the Gaelic Mac an t-Sabhaill Phoilin, meaning “the son of the servant of Philip”.
Today, MacKilfillen is a widely used surname, found throughout Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. It also remains popular in Ireland, where it is found across the country, particularly in counties such as Antrim, Cavan and Donegal.
Famous people with the name MacKilfillen
- Don MacKilfillen: a Canadian curler
- Harper MacKilfillen: the daughter of former American NFL football player Ed MacKilfillen
- Ed MacKilfillen: an American football player
- Jack MacKilfillen: a British actor
- Skye MacKilfillen: an American television and film actress
- Janet MacKilfillen: an American politician
- Shaun MacKilfillen: an American television producer and comedy writer
- Danny MacKilfillen: an American music producer
- Brady MacKilfillen: an American film director
- Laurence MacKilfillen: a British radio DJ
- George MacKilfillen: an English soccer player
- Alan MacKilfillen: a Canadian soccer player