The Mclean Family History

What Does the Mclean Surname Mean? Historical Origins Explained

The surname McLean, with roots in both Scotland and Ireland, is derived from the Old Gaelic phrase 'macgille eoin,' which translates to son of the servant or devotee of St. This surname exhibits several spelling variations, including Maclean, McClean, McLane, MacLaine, and Mccleane. In England, the McLean name is predominantly found in the northern regions, particularly within the counties of Lancashire, Durham, Yorkshire, and Cheshire. Additionally, a significant number of McLean families reside in London. Conversely, in Scotland, the McLean surname is distributed widely across the nation, with higher concentrations in the counties of Lanarkshire, Midlothian, Renfrewshire, Inverness-shire, Argyll, and Ross and Cromarty. Within the United States, McLean families have their historical roots in several states, including New York, Texas, Washington, California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio. Noteworthy individuals bearing the McLean surname include Bruce McLean, a Scottish artist; Aaron McLean, an English professional footballer; Bethany McLean, a journalist for Fortune and Vanity Fair known for her role in uncovering the Enron scandal; Donald McLean, a Canadian explorer from the 19th century; David McLean, founder of the Canadian McLean Group of Companies; Edward Beale McLean, a former publisher of the Washington Post; Lenny McLean, an English boxer and weightlifter; and Wilmer McLean, who owned the house where Confederate General R. Lee surrendered to Lieutenant General U. Grant in April 1865.