Surname MacRannall - Meaning and Origin

MacRannall: What does the surname MacRannall mean?

The last name MacRannall is derived from an old Gaelic surname, which comes from the word “mac” meaning “son” and “Rannall”, a personal name of uncertain origin that is likely a variation of the Gaelic word rannall or righteous. This suggests the name could have originally come from someone who was known for being righteous or just.

The MacRannall name is found primarily in County Donegal, Ireland, and is associated with several old Gaelic families of the O’Neill Clan. It was likely first used by someone with close ties to the O’Neill clan, which dates back to the first century AD when they ruled the northern half of Ireland.

Evidence suggests that the MacRannalls were an enterprising and innovative clan, as they settled in areas that other clans hadn’t yet colonized. Many of these areas were near Strabane in County Tyrone and Clones in County Monaghan.

Today there are many descendant of the original MacRannalls, both in Ireland and across the world. In the United States, the largest population of MacRannalls can be found in New York, followed by California, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

The MacRannall name remains synonymous with justice, resourcefulness, and innovation within the inter-generational family clans. As a testament to their hard work and dedication, quite a few of the clans have been successful in various fields such as politics, medicine, business, and academia.

MacRannall: Where does the name MacRannall come from?

The last name MacRannall is associated with Ireland and Scotland, and as such is still largely based in areas where those countries are present. In Ireland, the name is most commonly found in Counties Cork and Antrim, where a MacRannall clan was historically sewn. In Scotland, the name is widely seen throughout the highlands, especially in Argyll, where the family held a baronry in the Middle Ages.

People bearing the MacRannall surname are scattered across the United Kingdom, particularly in Lancashire in England and Ayrshire in Scotland, as well as scattered across North America, with concentrations in Canada and the United States. MacRannalls can be found in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Caribbean Islands, and throughout Europe, including the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.

The surname is most densely populated in the United States, where it is the 338th most common last name. The MacRannalls in the US live mostly in the midwestern and southern states, such as Illinois, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. There is also a concentration of MacRannalls in Canada, particularly in the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, and Quebec.

The surname MacRannall is still associated with the original family's homelands in Ireland and Scotland, and can be found widely dispersed around the globe.

Variations of the surname MacRannall

The surname MacRannall has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.

The most common spelling of the name is MacRannall, but it may also be found as MacRannal, MacRannals, MacRanall, MacRanol, Mac Ranill, MacRanell, MacRannell, MacRunal, and MacRunall.

The surname MacRannall is of Gaelic origin, derived from the Irish surname Mac Raghnaill. In Irish, Mac means "son of", while Raghnaill is an old Gaelic personal name of uncertain origin. It is thought to be related to the old Irish name reultach, meaning "full of cheerfulness and mirth". The name was first used in Ireland during the medieval period and was adopted into the Scottish Highlands in the late 1200s.

The variant forms of MacRannall may be seen in the phonetic spelling of the name, such as MacGrannall, MacCrannall, and MacKranell. The name is sometimes shortened to Rannall, Ranall, Rannal, Ranal, or Rennell.

Other surnames of the same origin include MacRanild, MacRannel, MacRanald, and MacRannold. There are also names in Scotland such as Rankin, Rankine, and Rankinon, believed to be derived from the same root source.

However, it is important to note these surnames may not be directly related to each other and the spelling of the same name can also vary by region.

Famous people with the name MacRannall

• Evan MacRannall: American actor, singer, and dancer.
• John MacRannall: British television and film producer.
• Leonard MacRannall: American politician.
• Dick MacRannall: British race car driver.
• Ewan MacRannall: Scottish actor, radio personality, and comedian.
• Angus MacRannall: Scottish actor who portrayed Moray Eel in Finding Nemo.
• Duncan MacRannall: British explorer and environmentalist.
• Wren MacRannall: American fashion designer.
• Alexander MacRannall: American Major League Baseball player.
• Thomas MacRannall: British singer and songwriter.
• Finlay MacRannall: Scottish aviator and first airmail pilot.
• Charles MacRannall: Irish-American scientist and inventor.
• Kevin MacRannall: Scottish rugby player.
• Lorrie MacRannall: Canadian artist and author.
• Robert MacRannall: American film director.

Other surnames

MacRann