McGregor Surname Meaning & Origin
What the McGregor last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the McGregor last name
Meaning of the McGregor last name: son of Gregor. McGregor comes from the Gaelic Mac Griogair, son of Gregor. The clan belonged to the lands around Glen Orchy and Loch Lomond. A curious detail: for a long period the very name MacGregor was banned by law, and members had to use other surnames, which is why the legendary Rob Roy is remembered with such feeling.
Arms associated with the McGregor name
A curious Scottish detail: heraldry there is still governed by its own court, and the McGregor name belongs to that tradition.
Get your full McGregor family history
This is only a glimpse of the McGregor story. The full McGregor 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 McGregor coat of arms. Get the full McGregor report.
McGregor name FAQ
What does the McGregor name mean?
Son of Gregor. Common variants include MacGregor, Gregor, Gregory.
Where does the McGregor surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in Canada, the United States and Australia.
Is there a McGregor coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized McGregor 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.