Surname McAllen - Meaning and Origin

McAllen: What does the surname McAllen mean?

The surname McAllen is of Scottish and Irish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic name Mac Ailín, with "Mac" meaning "son of" and "Ailín" being a diminutive form of the personal name "Ailin", thought to mean "little rock". Therefore, the surname McAllen can be interpreted as "son of the little rock". McAllen may also be a variant spelling of the surnames MacAllen, McAlan, or MacAllan. Like many surnames, it might indicate a geological feature significant to the family's original home, or refer to a characteristic of the family's patriarch. Determining the exact meaning of the surname could require tracing family history to understand its original context. Remember, surnames were often provided based on occupation, geographical location, or distinctive characteristics.

McAllen: Where does the name McAllen come from?

The surname McAllen is of Scottish and Irish origin. It derives from the Gaelic name Mac Ailein, which means "son of Alan." The name Alan is believed to refer to "rock" or "noble." In old Gaelic scripts, it is written as MacAillin or MacAllin, signifying the Scottish origins. In Ireland, it is considered an anglicization of the Gaelic names Mac Alúin and Ó hAilín.

Today, the McAllen surname is prevalent predominantly in the United States, likely due to various waves of Scottish and Irish immigration during the 18th and 19th centuries. The surname can be found in many states, but it appears to be more concentrated in states like Texas, California, and New York. Furthermore, there is a city in Texas named McAllen, though this is thought to be named after John McAllen, an early settler in the region, rather than necessarily indicating a large concentration of individuals with the McAllen surname. It is also found, albeit in less significant numbers, in countries like Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. It continues to be relatively rare in its countries of origin, Scotland and Ireland.

Variations of the surname McAllen

The surname McAllen is Scottish and Irish in origin, specifically from the Gaelic Mac Ailín (son of Alan). The actual spelling variations can differ significantly due to the translation of Gaelic into English where different phonetic spelling occurred.

Variants and spelling of the surname McAllen can include MacAllan, MacAllen, McAllan, McAleyn, MacAlein, McAlein, McAlen, McAllin, McEllen, McAlin, McAlan, McAllion, and the list goes on. Each variation still refers to the Gaelic term "Mac Ailin" which translates to the "son of Alan".

Also, it's critical to note that the "Mc" prefix is interchangeable with "Mac". While Mc is of Irish origin and Mac of Scottish origin, both translate to "son of". Therefore, McAllen and MacAllen are essentially the same surname but of Irish and Scottish origin respectively. An "O" prefix may also used if it is an Irish name as in O'Allen.

Lastly, the clan that the name McAllen is associated with is Clan MacFarlane, so if it has any derivative from that Clan, it can be another source of variations.

Famous people with the name McAllen

• Mitzi McAllen: American actress, best known for playing Jennifer Marlowe in the television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, and Ramona Quimby in the 1990 movie version of Beverly Cleary's books.
• Lorraine McAllen: British actress, perhaps best known for playing Shirley Grimes in the television serial Coronation Street from 1979–82
• Peter McAllen: Actor, most famous for playing roles in films such as The Ice Storm and The Bourne Ultimatum
• Kenneth McAllen: American animator, perhaps best known for his work in the historical drama films Road to Perdition and The Last Samurai.
• Anne McAllen: Irish television director, most famously known for directing the TV series Foyle's War.
• Jonathan McAllen: British painter, most noted for his abstract depictions of people found in public places.
• Gene McAllen: American businessman and politician, most noted for his three terms in the Arizona Senate.
• Clancy McAllen: American singer-songwriter, most famous for being the lead vocalist for the alternative rock band Neon Trees.
• Emma McAllen: British theatre producer, most well-known for her work on the theatre plays The Crucible and Death of a Salesman.
• Eve McAllen: Scottish photographer and filmmaker, best known for her work on the travel documentary series Wild Scotland.

Other surnames

McAllanMcAllister