The McClean Family Name

A coat of arms belongs to a particular family line rather than to everyone named McClean, so the heraldry linked to McLean is a starting point, not an automatic right.

The meaning behind McClean

Anyone researching McClean should also look under McLean. The name is generally explained as “Son of the servant of St John”.

McClean adds “c” to McLean, a small change that crept in as the name was written down. Census takers and immigration officers often wrote what they heard. Other spellings include McClain, McLain and MacLaine. 3,183 Americans were listed as McClean in the 2010 census. Names that sound alike, such as McCullen, are easily confused in old records.

Research your McClean family history with a full surname report and painted coat of arms.