Surname McKaughan - Meaning and Origin
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McKaughan: What does the surname McKaughan mean?
The last name McKaughan is of Irish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic name "Mac Eacháin" which means "son of Eachán". Eachán itself is a diminutive form of the name Eachaidh. This male first name, likely of an ancestor of those who carry the surname, means "horseman". The name suggests that the initial bearers of the name might have been horse-riders or horse-owners. There can be variations in the spelling of this surname, including: McEachan, McGeachan, McKechnie, and MacGeachie, among others. As with many surnames, the original meaning and its relevance may have been lost over time, possibly becoming simply a familial identification.
Order DNA origin analysisMcKaughan: Where does the name McKaughan come from?
The last name McKaughan is of Scottish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic surname "Mac Eachain," which translates to "son of Eachan." Eachan is an old Gaelic personal name which means "horse lord" or "horse owner." The surname suggests an ancestral connection to a person named Eachan.
Scottish surnames are often based on a patriarch's name, occupation, or place of residence. As with other surnames with the 'Mc' or 'Mac' prefix, the McKaughan surname suggests a patrilinear descent.
While the McKaughan surname has spread and diversified over the years due to immigration and cultural blending, people with this surname may still be found in Scotland today, particularly in regions where the surname was first established. However, as with many surnames of Scottish origin, the surname McKaughan can also be found in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand due to historic patterns of Scottish emigration. Despite this distribution, the surname is not especially common in any particular region and is relatively rare overall.
Variations of the surname McKaughan
The surname McKaughan is typically of Scottish origin and is part of a larger group of surnames derived from the personal name Eóghan. Variations of McKaughan can result from translations between Gaelic and English, misinterpretations of handwriting, or differences in phonetic spelling. The variants include McCaughan, MacCaughan, McKeoghan, MacKeoghan, and McKoan.
Variants such as McCaughey, McCahan, McCann, and Mckenna, may also be considered as they are derived from the similar Gaelic name Mac Eacháin, which might have evolved into McKaughan in some regions.
Additional variations might include McAughan, MaCaughan, McEoghan, MacEoghan, McKeown, and MacKeown, with the 'Mac' prefix simply translating to 'son of.'
The name may also appear without the 'Mc' or 'Mac' prefix, resulting in variations like Kaughan or Keoghan. As surnames can often change significantly after immigration, especially during periods of high immigration like the 19th and 20th centuries, McKaughan might also have been Anglicized into more phonetically English names.
Please note that surname origins can be complex, and while this list provides several possibilities, it might not include all potential variations of the surname McKaughan.
Famous people with the name McKaughan
- Logan McKaughan: professional Ultimate Frisbee player and writer
- Claire McKaughan: an actress and musician
- Belinda McKaughan: American athlete, competitive bowler and entrepreneur
- Charley McKaughan: professional racer, former NASCAR driver
- Cara McKaughan: singer, Grammy-nominated artist
- Sarah McKaughan: actress, starred in the Hulu Original series Castle Rock
- Stan McKaughan: retired professional basketball player
- Willa McKaughan: NBC Sports Soccer Analyst
- Colleen McKaughan: Producer for the Fox Television Network
- Darian McKaughan: Pro basketball player for the AS Monaco in France