Surname MacKilveen - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
MacKilveen: What does the surname MacKilveen mean?
MacKilveen is an anglicized Irish surname. Derived from the Irish Mac Giolla Bheathain, it is a patronymic name meaning "son of the devotee of St. Bheathan." The origin of the name lies in Bheathan or Beatha, an Irish saint who lived around the 6th century.
The surname of MacKilveen is mainly associated with Ulster in the north of Ireland and is most prominently found in the counties of Donegal and Antrim. It is rare as a first name, but can also be seen in the Scottish Highlands, especially around the Inverness area.
The symbolism of the name has been carried through the centuries with it representing a commitment to honoring those that came before. It captures the proud history and heritage of the MacKilveen name which has been carried by generations of family members living in Ireland, Scotland and throughout the world.
Native MacKilveens have also claimed to find timber bearing the macKilveen crest that once stood at a castle near Cushendall in Antrim. The MacKilveen family crest features a golden lion’s head rampant facing the viewer, along with a shield and four stars.
Order DNA origin analysisMacKilveen: Where does the name MacKilveen come from?
The last name MacKilveen is most common in Ireland, where it originated centuries ago. Records suggest that the MacKilveen name dates back to the 12th century and was associated with the Mac Conmidhe clan who were ruling the agricultural lands in the southern region of County Mayo.
Today, the fastest-growing population of MacKilveens is in the United States, specifically in the New England states. For instance, the US Census Bureau says MacKilveen is the 6th most common surname in Rhode Island. A number of MacKilveen families have also been identified in New York, Massachusetts, Maine, and Connecticut.
MacKilveens may also be found in Australia, England, and Canada. It is thought that many Irish immigrants who left the country due to the Great Famine of the mid-19th century settled in the various colonies and former dominions.
The MacKilveen name is inextricably linked to a fierce sense of independence and McCarthyism, something that has been passed down through the generations to those bearing the surname. It is thought that their legacy lives on in the current-day communities where MacKilveens are found.
Variations of the surname MacKilveen
The surname MacKilveen is primarily found in Ireland and is of Irish origin. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Giolla Mheáin, meaning ‘son of the servant of St. Meadhbha.’ Variants and spellings of this surname include MacIlveen, McKilveen, Killeen, Kilveen, Kilven, and Giolla Mheáin.
Mac Giolla Mheáin is a patronymic surname, meaning ‘descendant of the servant of St. Meadhbha.’ The personal name is from the Gaelic ‘Gilla’ or ‘giolla’ meaning ‘servant’, which combined with the personal name ‘Meadhbha’ forms ‘giolla Meadhbha’. The prefix ‘mac’ shows the surname is of patronymic origin.
The surname MacKilveen has also had alternative surnames developed from it throughout the years including Mulliven, Mulveen, McVeigh and Quillan.
In Great Britain the surname can be found in Scotland and England, primarily in the Wigan area of Lancashire. In the United States, the surname is found mainly in Pennsylvania, New York and California.
Thus, the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname MacKilveen include MacIlveen, McKilveen, Killeen, Kilveen, Kilven, Giolla Mheáin, Mulliven, Mulveen, McVeigh and Quillan.
Famous people with the name MacKilveen
1.Robert McKilveen: former My Kitchen Rules judge 2.Neil McKilveen: music producer 3.Allan McKilveen: Scottish football player 4.Anne McKilveen: Canadian singer and songwriter 5.Lili MacKilveen: Canadian television writer and producer 6.David McKilveen: independent filmmaker 7.Barbara McKilveen: Californian actress 8.Henry McKilveen: Irish Civil War veteran 9.Matthias McKilveen: former Queensland state politician 10.John McKilveen: Australian spider expert and environmentalist