Surname MacCleren - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
MacCleren: What does the surname MacCleren mean?
The last name MacCleren, though not common, is of Scottish origin. It is a variant of the surname McClaren or McLaren, which is derived from the Gaelic MacLabhruinn, meaning "son of Labhran" or "son of Lawrence." The name "Lawrence" comes from the Latin "Laurentius," which means "man from Laurentum," a town in Italy. Principal families with this surname came from Scotland, particularly in areas like Perth, Stirling, and Argyll. They share a history with major Scottish clans such as the Stewarts and MacDonalds. As with many surnames, variations in spelling can reflect different attempts to anglicize or preserve original sounds from the native language, hence MacCleren's similarity to McClaren or McLaren.
Order DNA origin analysisMacCleren: Where does the name MacCleren come from?
The surname MacCleren is of Scottish origin. The prefix "Mac" in Scottish and Irish surnames means "son of", indicating a patronymic naming tradition. However, MacCleren is not a common surname and there seems to be some confusion around its exact lineage.
Maccleren may be a variant of McClaren or McLaren, both derived from the Gaelic "MacLabhruinn" which translates to "son of Labhran" or "son of Lawrence". This clan hails from Perthshire, Scotland.
While this surname has likely spread globally due to migration, it's not particularly common anywhere today. You may find some individuals with the MacCleren, McClaren, or McLaren name in places with a high concentration of people with Scottish ancestry such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and, of course, Scotland.
Keep in mind surname distributions change and morph over the centuries due to factors like emigration, naturalization, and the anglicization of names. Hence, the occurrences of such a surname and its variations might not be very high.
Variations of the surname MacCleren
The surname MacCleren is of Scottish or Irish origin, originating from the Gaelic Mhic/son of or Mac/son. It's connected to individual(s) known for being "cleric" or "scribe" in old Irish society. The spelling of this surname, however, can vary greatly due to historical language shifts and transcription errors.
Different spellings and variants may include McLaren, McClaren, McLarin, McCleran, Mclerin, and MacLarin, among others. Some individuals may also drop the "Mac" or "Mc" prefix altogether, leading to versions such as Cleren or Laren.
In Scotland, McLaren is the most commonly used spelling. Additionally, in Ireland, where surnames often include "O" or "Mac/Mc" prefixes, variations like O'Cleren or MacLeren are possible.
It should also be noted that many Scottish and Irish people emigrated to countries like the United States, Australia, and Canada, leading to further variations and misspellings of the surname overseas. These could potentially include different phonetic spellings like Maklarin or Makleren. As is often the case with surnames, the variations can be quite numerous and broad, depending on the specific family lines and their histories.
Famous people with the name MacCleren
- John MacCleren: Canadian actor, best known for playing Walter in the 2006 comedy movie, Kicking and Screaming.
- Ella MacCleren: American television actress, known for her roles in the Mystery Girl series, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and We Are the Millers.
- Cass MacCleren: English playwright, writer, and director. Best known for his work on the 2018 Broadway musical, Waitress.
- Henry MacCleren: British actor, known for appearing in the TV series Doctor Who and A Gift of Caring.
- Robert MacCleren: Australian scientist and paleontologist. Specializes in Jurassic period fossils and is widely known for his discovery of “the first dinosaur” in Australia.
- Emily MacCleren: American lawyer and civil rights activist. Successfully represented many minority groups in various civil rights-related cases in the U.S.
- Michael MacCleren: Canadian politician and former Premier of Alberta. Served as premier from 2014-2016.
- Fiona MacCleren: American actress, known for her roles in the TV series Austin & Ally and Gossip Girl.
- Saul MacCleren: Australian author, poet, and lecturer. His works have been featured in numerous books, articles, and magazines.
- Madison MacCleren: British singer and songwriter. Best known for her single “Feel the Love”, which was a top 40 hit on the UK Singles Chart in 2017.