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An excerpt from www.HouseOfNames.com archives copyright © 2000 - 2012

Origins Available: Irish, Scottish

Where did the Scottish McLaughlin family come from? What is the Scottish McLaughlin family crest and coat of arms? When did the McLaughlin family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the McLaughlin family history?

The McLaughlin family history stretches back to the clans of the Dalriadan kingdom on the sea-swept Hebrides islands and mountainous western coast of Scotland. The name McLaughlin is derived from the personal name Lachlann. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Lachlainn, denoting the son of Lachlann. Although most feel Lachlan Mor, a great Chief who lived by Loch Fyne in the thirteenth century, is the Clan founder, the legend of descent from the ancient Gaelic King, Niall of the Nine Hostages, who reigned in 400 AD, offers some clues as to the clan's early origins. Lochlann, in old Gaelic means literally, 'Norway,' and was the favorite Christian name of the royal house of O'Neill in Northern Ireland, a house descended from Niall of the Nine hostages, and said to be the family with the oldest history in Europe. A branch of the O'Neill's took the surname MacLochlain and soon became rival Kings to the O'Neills. King Brian O'Neill slew the last King Domnall MacLochlainn. His son Anrothan, who was ancestor of the MacLachlans in Scotland, married the daughter of the King of Scots, thereby gaining the inheritance of Cowall and Knapdale in Scotland. Anrothan MacLachlan was progenitor of the MacLachlans of Strathlachlan, the Lamonts, the Lyons, the MacSorleys, the MacEwans, and the MacMillans. It was in the mid-twelfth century that each of these branches separated into distinct entities.

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Spelling in the medieval era was a highly imprecise process. Translation, particularly from Gaelic to English, was little better. For these reasons, early Scottish names are rife with spelling variations. In various documents McLaughlin has been spelled MacLachlan, Lachlan, MacLachlane, McGlothan, McGlothin, MacLauchlan, MacLauchlane, MacLauchlin, MacLaughlin, Lauchlan and many more.

First found in Argyllshire, where this Clan first settled in Scotland in 1100 when Lachlan was heir of Fergus, Lord of Galloway. In 1238, a charter recorded Lachlan Mor's father increasing the endowment to Paisley Abbey. When, in 1292, King John Baliol erected Argyll into a sheriffdom, Gillescop MacLachlan was one of the twelve principal barons whose land it encompassed. In 1296, Ewen MacLachlan was forced to swear loyalty to the English King Edward I, but this loyalty was formally changed back to Scotland in 1305, when Gillescop MacLachlan, like his neighbors the Campbells, swore allegiance to Robert the Bruce. Gillescop was a member of the Barons of Bruce's first parliament at St. Andrews, in 1308.


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This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McLaughlin research. Another 239 words(17 lines of text) covering the years 1292 and 1600 are included under the topic Early McLaughlin History in all our PDF Extended History products.

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More information is included under the topic Early McLaughlin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products.

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Some of the McLaughlin family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 164 words(12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products.

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Settlers from Scotland put down roots in communities all along the east coast of North America. Some moved north from the American colonies to Canada as United Empire Loyalists during the American War of Independence. As Clan societies and highland games started in North America in the 20th century many Scots rediscovered parts of their heritage. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name McLaughlin were among those contributors:

McLaughlin Settlers in the United States in the 18th Century


  • Charles McLaughlin, who landed in Philadelphia, Pa in 1746

McLaughlin Settlers in the United States in the 19th Century


  • Dennis McLaughlin, aged 25, arrived in New York in 1812
  • Duncan McLaughlin, aged 31, landed in New York in 1812
  • Alexander McLaughlin, aged 24, arrived in Maryland in 1813
  • George McLaughlin, who arrived in America in 1818
  • Mary McLaughlin, who landed in Illinois in 1818


McLaughlin Settlers in the United States in the 20th Century


  • Carl McLaughlin, who landed in Alabama in 1924
  • Clayton Hudson McLaughlin, who arrived in Alabama in 1925

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  • Dean Benjamin McLaughlin (1901-1965), American astronomer
  • Charles Francis McLaughlin (1887-1976), Nebraska Democratic politician
  • Warren A. McLaughlin (1876-1923), American Major League Baseball pitcher
  • Andrew McLaughlin (1861-1947), American educator and historian
  • Mignon McLaughlin (1913-1983), American writer
  • Audrey McLaughlin PC, OC (b. 1936), former leader of Canada's New Democratic Party
  • Robert Samuel McLaughlin (1871-1972), Canadian businessman, philanthropist and founder of the McLaughlin Motor Car Co. in 1907, the first major automobile manufacturer in Canada
  • Patricia McLaughlin OBE (1916-1997), Irish unionist politician
  • John McLaughlin (b. 1942), English guitarist


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The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fortis et fidus
Motto Translation: Brave and trusty.

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  1. Paul, Sir James Balfour. An Ordinary of Arms Contained in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland Second Edition. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1903. Print.
  2. Best, Hugh. Debrett's Texas Peerage. New York: Coward-McCann, 1983. Print. (ISBN 069811244X).
  3. Robb H. Amanda and Andrew Chesler. Encyclopedia of American Family Names. New York: Haper Collins, 1995. Print. (ISBN 0-06-270075-8).
  4. Bolton, Charles Knowles. Scotch Irish Pioneers In Ulster and America. Montana: Kessinger Publishing. Print.
  5. Bell, Robert. The Book of Ulster Surnames. Belfast: Blackstaff, 1988. Print. (ISBN 10-0856404160).
  6. Fulton, Alexander. Scotland and Her Tartans: The Romantic Heritage of the Scottish Clans and Families. Godalming: Bramley, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-86283-880-0).
  7. Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8).
  8. Matthews, John. Matthews' American Armoury and Blue Book. London: John Matthews, 1911. Print.
  9. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X).
  10. Martine, Roddy, Roderick Martine and Don Pottinger. Scottish Clan and Family Names Their Arms, Origins and Tartans. Edinburgh: Mainstream, 1992. Print.
  11. ...

The McLaughlin Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The McLaughlin Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 8 April 2012 at 18:35.

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