Surname MacCleran - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
MacCleran: What does the surname MacCleran mean?
The surname MacCleran is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Mac Cléirigh which translates as "son of the clerk or scribe". This hints at the medieval profession of the early ancestors, who might have been scholars, teachers, or clergymen involved in religious or educational work, specializing in literature and law. The clerics during that time were among the elite and learned society, hence holding a position of high respect. As last names often signify ancient lineage, those carrying the MacCleran surname may be descendants of these scholars, indicating an academic or spiritual legacy. Over time, spelling variations have emerged due to reasons such as immigration and phonetic anglicization. It's important to note that the specific meaning could vary, as last names may also refer to geographical locations, physical attributes, or an individual's occupation. Therefore, for a complete understanding of the surname’s origins, a comprehensive genealogical investigation is required.
Order DNA origin analysisMacCleran: Where does the name MacCleran come from?
The surname MacCleran is actually rare and there's very limited information available specifically on it. It's a Gaelic name thought to be of Scottish or Irish origin. The prefix "Mac" in surnames is typically Irish or Scottish and means "son of." However, "Cleran" is not a recognized clan or family name in either Scottish or Irish directories. There's a possibility that it could be a variation or an anglicized form of a Gaelic surname.
Surnames can change over time due to misspellings, translations, and regional pronunciations. Therefore, MacCleran could be a variant of a more common Gaelic surname. As for where it's common today, it might be found in areas with Scottish or Irish diaspora such as Australia, Canada, UK and the United States. However, even in those regions, it would be considered uncommon. To trace the precise ancestry and regional commonness of the name, one could undertake genealogical research or DNA testing.
Variations of the surname MacCleran
The surname MacCleran is of Irish origin and can be traced back to the Gaelic Mac Cléirigh. Over generations, the name has gone through several changes in spelling and variant forms due to various factors such as phonetic spelling, regional accents, or translation between languages. Some alternative spellings and variants of the name MacCleran include McClary, McClear, McClare, McClerie, McLeary, McLerie, McCleary, McCleery, MacLeary, MacCleary, MacClery, MacClary, etc.
Similarly, the name can appear with or without the prefix 'Mac' or 'Mc' which means 'son of'. Some people may have dropped this prefix resulting in variants such as Clery, Cleary, Clary, Clere, Clerie, etc.
Additionally, sometimes the suffix of the name also changes which gives us variants like Clerkin, Claringbold, Clarridge, and others.
It's important however to note that while these may all derive from the same root, over time they have become surnames in their own right and may not always indicate a familial connection to the MacCleran lineage.
Famous people with the name MacCleran
- Lily MacCleran: American actress known for her roles on House MD and Harry’s Law.
- Henry MacCleran: British composer who wrote the musical “A Touch of Spring”.
- Amanda MacCleran: Scottish actress who appeared in films such as Sunshine on Leith and Filth.
- Ronan MacCleran: Irish actor who had roles in television series such as Game of Thrones and Vikings.
- Josephine MacCleran: Canadian painter specializing in landscape and figurative works.
- Patrick MacCleran: Australian photographer who exhibited internationally.
- Jake MacCleran: American musician and producer whose works feature in films such as Flight of the Phoenix.
- Ciaran MacCleran: Irish writer whose debut novel The Vanishing Villages was published in 2019.
- Fergal MacCleran: Scottish professional footballer who played for Celtic FC.
- Gavin MacCleran: Canadian figure skater who won a silver medal at the 2003 World Championships.