Surname McCollogh - Meaning and Origin

McCollogh: What does the surname McCollogh mean?

The surname McCollogh is of Scottish and Irish origin and it is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name MacCúllogh, meaning "son of Cúllogh". The personal name Cúllogh denotes “hound” or “wolf”, which symbolizes speed and endurance in Celtic mythology, suggesting attributes of a warrior. The name can also be found in the variant forms of McCollough, MacCullough and similar. The McCollogh families originally held a family seat in Wigton, a the southern area of Scotland before many migrated to Ireland during the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century. Therefore, the last name McCollogh connects bearers to a rich Celtic ancestry, intertwined with warrior virtue and strength.

McCollogh: Where does the name McCollogh come from?

The surname McCollogh is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name "Colla," meaning "dove." The prefix "Mac" or "Mc" means "son of," so McCollogh could be loosely translated to "son of Colla."

The surname appears to have originated from the lands of Collochy in Perthshire and the name would signify "dweller at Collochy." Some sources also trace the name back to the ancient Scots-Irish clans of Dál Riata from the Hebrides islands, West Highlands and some parts of Northern Ireland.

Over the centuries, many persons with the name McCollogh emigrated from Scotland and Ireland to various parts of the world, especially during the period of the Great Migration and the Irish Potato Famine. Today, it can be found in different variations like McCulloch, MacCulloch, McCollough, etc.

This surname is fairly common in countries with a significant population of Scottish and Irish descendants, like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. However, it is also found in some parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Variations of the surname McCollogh

There are various forms of the surname McCollogh due to the many dialects of the Celtic languages and the different periods of surname recording. Variants of this surname include McCullough, McCullogh, MacCullough, MacCullogh, McCullagh, MacCullagh, McColla, MacColla, McCulloch, McCoull, MacCulloch, and McCoul. The surname stems from an old Gaelic name, "MacCú-Uladh" which means "son of Hound of Ulster".

In the Middle Ages, it was common to translate Gaelic names into English, resulting in the variant forms. Historical errors in recording the name, such as the interchangeable use of 'gh' and 'ch', further contributed to these variations. Moreover, due to literacy levels and pronunciation differences, names were often written as they sounded to church officials or census takers, which may explain some of the variations.

Sometimes, the confusion between 'Gh' and ‘Ch’ led to the introduction of the surnames MacCullagh, McCullagh, and others. Besides, surnames could vary significantly in spelling from father to son. Hence, a contract written by a man named McCollough might be witnessed by his son, who signed as McCullogh.

Famous people with the name McCollogh

• Neil McCollough: a Scottish professional footballer who currently plays for Motherwell
• David McCollough: an American historian, author, and educator
• Alfred Mc Collough: an American jazz saxophonist
• Mike McCollough: a former Major League Baseball third baseman
• Niall McCollough: an Irish Paralympic athlete
• Maddie McCollough: an American actress
• Malcolm McCollough: an American actor and producer
• Kelly McCollough: an American historian and author
• Carole King McCollough: an American businesswoman and entrepreneur
• James McCollough: an American inventor and engineer

Other surnames

McCollough