Surname McElharran - Meaning and Origin
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McElharran: What does the surname McElharran mean?
The last name McElharran is of Irish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic name "Mac Giolla Charraim," which translates to "son of the follower of Charraim." Charraim refers to a personal name. The exact meaning of this personal name is uncertain, but it is likely associated with the characteristics of a beloved or prominent individual from ancient times. Like many Gaelic names that start with "Mac" or "Mc," its primary function was to express patrilineal kinship. Families bearing this name can trace their ancestry back to ancient Celtic tribes in Ireland. Over generations, variations of spelling have appeared due to phonetic translations and regional pronunciations. Thus it is important to note that different branches of the McElharran family that settled in various countries throughout the world may have different spellings of this name.
Order DNA origin analysisMcElharran: Where does the name McElharran come from?
The surname McElharran is of Irish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic Mac Giolla Chiarain, which means "son of the servant of Ciaran." Ciaran is a personal name from Ciar, meaning "dark," and referring to the patron saint of the diocese of Ossory.
In the earlier times, the McElharrans were chiefly found in County Donegal, in the northwest of Ireland. The name has several variants, including Gilherran, Gilharon, and Gilheeran, among others. Due to the historical events of the Irish Diaspora like the Great Famine in the mid-19th century, many Irish families, including the McElharrans, emigrated to various parts of the world, especially North America, Australia, and Britain.
Therefore, today, the surname McElharran is found not only in Ireland but also in these countries where Irish descendants settled. However, it is still not a common surname, so it is difficult to specify where it is most common today. Also, in many cases, the original Irish surnames have been Anglicized or altered in some way, making it tricky to track their distribution.
Variations of the surname McElharran
The surname McElharran is of Irish origin and it's related to a geographical location. Variants of this surname can depend on numerous factors such as phonetic spellings, translation errors, and branched family lines.
Common variants and similar surnames include McElheran, McElherran, McIlherran, McElharan, McElhearn, MacElharran, MacElheran, and MacElherran. Some individuals may also drop the "Mc" or "Mac" portion resulting in spellings like Elharran or Elheran.
These variants can also be due to the Gaelic translation, "Mac Giolla Chiarain" which means "son of servant of St. Ciaran". Hence variants related to "Ciaran" can also be possible such as Kieran, Mc Kieran or McHerran.
Surnames with close phonetic match like McIlrath, McIlhattan, McIlhatton, McElrath, and McElhattan might be considered related due to misinterpretations over the years.
Please, remember that tracing the variations of a surname may require intensive genealogical research and the further back in time you go, the more potential variants you may encounter.
Famous people with the name McElharran
- Allison McElharnan: Canadian-American actress known for her roles in films such as The Killing of Two Lovers and Miracle Mile
- Paul McElharnan: American actor and composer
- Brian McElharnan: Irish musician and singer-songwriter
- Sean McElharnan: American Olympic wrestler
- Courtney McElharnan: Canadian model and contestant on America's Next Top Model
- Niall McElharnan: Irish actor and singer
- Michael McElharnan: Irish film director and producer
- James McElharnan: Australian actor and writer
- Eileen McElharnan: American artist
- Frank McElharnan: Canadian basketball player and coach