Scottish last names have a rich and fascinating history directly tied to Scotland’s cultural heritage. From the clans of the Highlands to the Lowland families of the Borders, Scottish last names reflect the various and colourful stories of the Scottish people. With roots dating back to the medieval era, these surnames were initially used to identify people and families and were often derived from their occupation, location, or personal characteristics. In this article, we will give you the history and significance of Scottish last names, exploring the different origins and meanings behind some of Scotland’s most common and unique surnames.
Origin of Scottish Surnames:
Scottish last names have a rich and mixed origin, reflecting Scotland’s history and cultural heritage. Some of the earliest Scottish surnames were derived from the father’s given name. For example, the surname “MacDonald” literally means “son of Donald.” Other early Scottish surnames were derived from nicknames, describing an individual’s characteristics or physical features. For example, the surname “Campbell” is derived from the Gaelic word “cam beul,” meaning “crooked mouth.”
The medieval era saw the introduction of inborn surnames in Scotland, where a family would pass down the same surname from generation to generation. These hereditary surnames were often based on the individual’s occupation, location, or personal characteristics. And they were used to distinguish individuals and families. Some common occupational surnames in Scotland include “Smith,” “Baker,” and “Miller.”
In the Lowlands of Scotland, Norman conquest of England influenced many surnames with Norman French being a significant source of last names. These Norman-influenced surnames often had a prefix, such as “de” or “de la,” indicating the location or estate of the individual. For example, the surname “de Moravia” refers to someone from the province of Moray. Today, Scottish last names remain an important part of a person’s identity and cultural heritage and are a proud symbol of their ancestry and history.
30+ Famous Scottish Last Names and Their Meanings:
Here are some of the most common Scottish last names, along with their meanings and origins:
- Anderson – a patronymic name meaning “son of Andrew.”
- Brown – a descriptive name referring to someone with brown hair or complexion.
- Campbell – from the Gaelic “cam beul,” meaning “crooked mouth.”
- Clark – from the Old English “cleric,” meaning “clerk.”
- Campbell – a name derived from the Gaelic “cam beul,” meaning “crooked mouth.”
- Brown – a descriptive name for someone with brown hair or skin
- Black – a descriptive name for someone with dark hair or skin
- Davidson – from the Gaelic “Dàibhidh,” meaning “beloved.”
- Davidson – a name meaning “son of David.”
- Donaldson – a patronymic name meaning “son of Donald.”
- Douglas – a name derived from the Gaelic “dubh-ghlas,” meaning “black stream.”
- Duncan is derived from the Gaelic “donnchadh,” meaning “brown warrior.”
- Ferguson – from the Scottish Gaelic “Fearchar,” meaning “man of force.”
- Ferguson – a name meaning “son of Fergus.”
- Forbes – a name derived from the Gaelic “forb,” meaning “field.”
- Fraser is derived from the French “fraisier,” meaning “strawberry.”
- Gibson – a patronymic name meaning “son of Gilbert.”
- Graham is derived from the Old English “grān hām,” meaning “grey home.”
- Grant – a name derived from the Old English “graunt,” meaning “great.”
- Gray/Grey – a descriptive name referring to someone with grey hair or complexion.
- Henderson – a patronymic name meaning “son of Henry.”
- Hunter – an occupational name referring to someone who hunted game.
- Jackson – a patronymic name meaning “son of Jack.”
- Johnston/Johnstone – a patronymic name meaning “son of John.”
- Kelly – a name derived from the Gaelic “ceallach,” meaning “warrior.”
- Kerr is derived from the Old Norse “kjarr,” meaning “swamp.”
- King – an occupational name referring to someone who was a king’s servant.
- Kirk – an occupational name referring to someone who worked in a church.
- Munro – from the Gaelic “munrach,” meaning “hillock.”
- MacKay – from the Gaelic “Mac Aoidh,” meaning “son of Aodh.”
- MacKinnon – from the Gaelic “Mac Fhionghain,” meaning “son of Fhionghain.”
- MacInnes – from the Gaelic “Mac Aonghais,” meaning “son of Aonghus.”
- MacBain – from the Gaelic “Mac Bhàin,” meaning “son of Bhàn.”
- MacKelvie – from the Gaelic “Mac Giolla Bhuidhe,” meaning “son of the yellow-haired lad.”
- MacDuff – from the Gaelic “Mac Duibh,” meaning “son of Dubh.”
- McQuarrie – from the Gaelic “Mac a Charraigh,” meaning “son of the rock.”
- MacMillan – from the Gaelic “Mac Maolain,” meaning “son of Maolan.”
- Martin – from the Latin “Martinus,” meaning “of Mars.”
- MacGregor – from the Gaelic “Mac Grioghair,” meaning “son of Gregor.”
- MacPherson – from the Gaelic “Mac a’ Phearsain,” meaning “son of the parson.”
- McLean – from the Gaelic “Mac Gille Eáin,” meaning “son of the servant of John.”
- MacKenzie – from the Gaelic “Mac Coinnich,” meaning “son of Coinneach.”
- MacDonald – from the Gaelic “Mac Domhnaill,” meaning “son of Donald.”
- Murray – Andy Murray, former world number one tennis player
- Robertson – from the Gaelic “Mac Raibeirt,” meaning “son of Robert.”
- Reid – from the Old English “rád,” meaning “red.”
- Ross – from the Scottish Gaelic “Ros,” meaning “promontory.”
- Reid – John Reid, former UK Home Secretary
- Robertson – Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland
- Ross – Bob Ross, Scottish-American painter and television host
- Scott – from the Old English “Scott,” meaning “a person from Scotland.”
- Stewart – from the Old English “stigweard,” meaning “steward.”
- Sinclair – from the Norman-French “Saint Clair,” meaning “clear.”
- Wallace – from the Old English “Waleis,” meaning “Welshman.”
- White – a descriptive name for someone with fair hair or skin
- Watson – John Watson, Scottish racing driver and former Formula One World Champion
- Weir – David Weir, Scottish Paralympic athlete
- Wilson – Wilson Pickett, American soul singer with Scottish
- Wallace – Sir William Wallace, Scottish knight and military commander during the Wars of Scottish Independence
- Young – from the Old English “geong,” meaning “young.”
20+ Rare Scottish Surnames:
- MacKerrell – from the Gaelic “Mac Fhearghail,” meaning “son of Fhearghail.”
- MacAulay – from the Gaelic “Mac Amhalaidh,” meaning “son of Amhalaidh.”
- MacRae – from the Gaelic “Mac Ra,” meaning “son of Ra.”
- MacNab – from the Gaelic “Mac an Aba,” meaning “son of the abbot.”
- MacKendrick – from the Gaelic “Mac Eanraig,” meaning “son of Eanraig.”
- MacLaren – from the Gaelic “Mac Lauthainn,” meaning “son of Lauthainn.”
- MacSporran – from the Gaelic “Mac Sporan,” meaning “son of Sporan.”
- MacPhie – from the Gaelic “Mac Pheadair,” meaning “son of Pheadair.”
- MacGorrie – from the Gaelic “Mac Goiridh,” meaning “son of Goiridh.”
- MacNiven – from the Gaelic “Mac Naoimhín,” meaning “son of Naoimhín.”
- MacKintosh – from the Gaelic “Mac a Tòisich,” meaning “son of the chief.”
- MacLachlan – from the Gaelic “Mac Lachlainn,” meaning “son of Lachlainn.”
- MacOwan – from the Gaelic “Mac Eoghain,” meaning “son of Eoghain.”
- MacRury – from the Gaelic “Mac Ruairidh,” meaning “son of Ruairidh.”
- MacIntyre – from the Gaelic “Mac a t-Saoir,” meaning “son of the carpenter.”
- Macalester – from the Gaelic “Mac Alastair,” meaning “son of Alastair.”
- MacCulloch – from the Gaelic “Mac Culchadh,” meaning “son of Culchadh.”
- MacLennan – from the Gaelic “Mac Leannáin,” meaning “son of Leannán.”
- MacSween – from the Gaelic “Mac Suibhne,” meaning “son of Suibhne.”
- MacInroy – from the Gaelic “Mac a Ròidh,” meaning “son of the king.”
- MacGillivray – from the Gaelic “Mac Gille Bhreatainn,” meaning “son of the servant of St. Brendan.”
- MacGill – from the Gaelic “Mac Gille,” meaning “son of the servant.”
- MacGowan – from the Gaelic “Mac Gabhann,” meaning “son of the smith.”
- MacFadyen – from the Gaelic “Mac Phaidín,” meaning “son of Páidín.”
- Abernathy – a locational name derived from the town of Abernethy in Perthshire. It was once the religious capital of Scotland and home to a monastery founded by Saint Brigid in the 6th century.
- Arbuthnot – a locational name derived from the village of Arbuthnot in Aberdeenshire. The name means “place of the stream” in Gaelic.
- Bannerman – an occupational name referring to someone who carried the banner in battle. The name was widespread in the Scottish Borders and was used by several noble families.
- Carmichael – a locational name derived from the village of Carmichael in South Lanarkshire. The name means “fort of Michael” in Gaelic and refers to a church dedicated to Saint Michael.
- Crerar – a locational name derived from the village of Crerar in Argyll and Bute. The name means “boundary hill” in Gaelic.
- Drummond – a locational name derived from the village of Drymen in Stirling. The name means “ridge of the drum” in Gaelic and refers to a hill shaped like a drum.
- Farquharson – a patronymic name meaning “son of Farquhar.” Farquhar was a common name in Scotland, meaning “dear one” in Gaelic.
- Galloway – a locational name referring to the region of Galloway in southwest Scotland. The name meant “foreigner’s land” in Gaelic and was once a separate kingdom.
- Kincaid – a locational name derived from the village of Kincaid in Stirlingshire. The name means “head of the battle” in Gaelic.
- MacBrayne – a patronymic name meaning “son of Bran.” Bran was a common name in Scotland, meaning “raven” in Gaelic. MacBrayne is also the name of a well-known Scottish shipping company.
- Murchison – a patronymic name meaning “son of Murchadh.” Murchadh was a common name in Scotland, meaning “sea warrior” in Gaelic. The Murchison family was known for their involvement in the Scottish Reformation and for supporting Mary, Queen of Scots.
- Riddell – a locational name derived from the village of Riddell in the Scottish Borders. The name means “red hill” in Old English and refers to a hill where red berries grew.
- Sutherland – a locational name referring to the region of Sutherland in northern Scotland. The name means “southern land” in Norse and refers to Sutherland being once the southernmost region of the Norse kingdom of Caithness.
- Urquhart – a locational name derived from the village of Urquhart in Moray. The name means “fort on the knoll” in Gaelic and refers to a hill where a fort was built in ancient times. The Urquhart family was also known for their involvement in the Scottish Wars of Independence.
- Wemyss – a locational name derived from the village of Wemyss in Fife. The name means “cave” in Gaelic and refers to a network of caves near the village. The Wemyss family was known for their involvement in Scottish politics and for supporting Mary, Queen of Scots.
50 Famous Scottish Last Names Of Famous People:
Here are 50 famous Scottish last names and the notable people who bear them:
- Anderson – Sir David Anderson, former Lord Provost of Glasgow
- Bannockburn – Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland during the Wars of Scottish Independence
- Burns – Robert Burns, the national poet of Scotland
- Cameron – David Cameron, former UK Prime Minister
- Carnegie – Andrew Carnegie, industrialist and philanthropist
- Connery – Sean Connery, actor and first James Bond
- Craig – Daniel Craig, actor and current James Bond
- Cumming – Alan Cumming, actor and author
- Davidson – Ruth Davidson, former leader of the Scottish Conservative Party
- Douglas – William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, Scottish nobleman and military commander
- Ferguson – Sir Alex Ferguson, former manager of Manchester United football club
- Forbes – Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine
- Fraser – Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat, Scottish Jacobite and military commander
- Gibson – Mel Gibson, actor and director
- Gordon – Gordon Brown, former UK Prime Minister
- Grant – Ewan McGregor, actor
- Hamilton – Alexander Hamilton, Founding Father of the United States
- Henderson – Liam Henderson, a footballer
- Kennedy – John F. Kennedy, former President of the United States
- Kerr – John Kerr, Baron Kerr of Kinlochard, former diplomat and judge
- Kinloch – John Kinloch, Scottish physician and inventor
- Knox – John Knox, Scottish reformer and theologian
- Macdonald – Flora MacDonald, Jacobite and heroine of the ’45 Rising
- Mackenzie – Henry Mackenzie, Scottish novelist and journalist
- Macleod – Ian Macleod, former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Macpherson – James Macpherson, Scottish poet and author of “Ossian.”
- McAvoy – James McAvoy, actor
- McGregor – Ewan McGregor, actor
- McKay – Euan McKay, Scottish footballer
- McLean – Kenny McLean, Scottish footballer
- McLeod – John McLeod, former Head Coach of the Scottish national basketball team
- McPhail – John McPhail, Scottish film director
- Munro – Sir Hugh Munro, mountaineer and founder of the Munro List of Scottish mountains
- Murray – Andy Murray, former world number one tennis player
- Paisley – Ian Paisley, former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland
- Reid – John Reid, former UK Home Secretary
- Robertson – Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland
- Ross – Bob Ross, Scottish-American painter and television host
- Scott – Sir Walter Scott, Scottish novelist and poet
- Sinclair – Sir Clive Sinclair, inventor and entrepreneur
- Smith – Adam Smith, Scottish economist and philosopher
- Stirling – William Stirling, Scottish chemist and pioneer of thermodynamics
- Sutherland – Kiefer Sutherland, actor
- Thomson – David Thomson, Canadian media magnate and founder of Thomson Reuters
- Urquhart – David Urquhart, Scottish politician and travel writer
- Wallace – Sir William Wallace, Scottish knight and military commander during the Wars of Scottish Independence
- Watson – John Watson, Scottish racing driver and former Formula One World Champion
- Weir – David Weir, Scottish Paralympic athlete
- Wilson – Wilson Pickett, American soul singer with Scottish
The Clan System:
The Clan System was a social and political structure that dominated Scotland for centuries. It was based on a network of extended families and their respective territories. Each clan had a chief who was the leader and representative of the clan. The clans were responsible for the protection and welfare of their members, and disputes between clans were resolved through a council of clan leaders.
1) Clan MacLeod – It is said to have originated from the Isle of Skye, spreading its members throughout Scotland and worldwide. The clan’s motto, “Hold Fast,” reflects the clan’s strength and perseverance.
2) Clan Campbell is one of Scotland’s largest and most influential clans. It originated from the Argyll region in western Scotland and has a long and proud history. The clan’s motto, “Ne Obliviscaris” (Forget Not), reminds it of its commitment to preserving its heritage and traditions.
3) Clan Stewart is a Scottish clan with a rich and fascinating history. The clan has roots in the medieval Kingdom of Scotland and has been associated with many notable historical figures. The clan’s motto, “Fide et Fortitudine” (By Faith and Fortitude), reflects the clan’s strength and determination.
4) Clan Robertson is a Scottish clan that originated in the region of Atholl in central Scotland. The clan has a long and proud history and is known for its strong sense of community and loyalty. The clan’s motto, “Virtutis Gloria Merces” (Glory is the Reward of Valor), reflects the clan’s belief in bravery and honour.
5) Clan Macdonald is a Scottish clan rooted in Scotland’s western isles. The clan has a rich and fascinating history and is known for its fierce independence and strength. The clan’s motto, “Per Mare, Per Terras” (By Sea, By Land), reflects its maritime heritage and ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
Conclusion
Scottish last names are an essential part of Scotland’s rich cultural heritage. They reflect the country’s rich history and people’s unique traditions and beliefs. These last names have been passed down from generation to generation, serving as a reminder of the heritage and identity of each individual. Whether common or rare, each name has a story to tell and helps preserve Scotland’s rich cultural heritage.
This article has highlighted over 100 typical, unique, and famous Scottish last names, exciting stories, and notable people associated with them. Understanding the meanings and origins of Scottish last names can help to connect the past and provide a deeper gratitude for their ancestry. Whether tracing your family history or learning about the history of Scotland, exploring Scottish last names is a fascinating and rewarding journey. Whether you have a Scottish last name or not, learning about Scottish last names can deepen your connection to Scotland’s past and present.
Premina Parker, is a parenting advisor. She is the author, most recently, parenting blog called Genbabycarrier.com. Her work has helped Time win two National Magazine Awards.