McLean Surname Meaning & Origin
What the McLean last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the McLean last name
Meaning of the McLean last name: son of the servant of St John. McLean comes from the Gaelic Mac Gille Eathain, son of the servant of Saint John. The name is tied to the Hebrides and the western Highlands, where the clan held island castles for centuries. A curious detail: the clan's traditional rallying cry was 'Another for Hector', remembered from a famous battle in which clansmen died shielding their leader.
Arms associated with the McLean name
Scottish shields often carry galleys, lions and hands, symbols of sea power, courage and loyalty, and the McLean name belongs to that tradition.
Get your full McLean family history
This is only a glimpse of the McLean story. The full McLean history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted McLean coat of arms. Get the full McLean report.
McLean name FAQ
What does the McLean name mean?
Son of the servant of St John. Common variants include Maclean, MacLaine, McLain.
Where does the McLean surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in Canada, the United States and Australia.
Is there a McLean coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized McLean coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.