| ![Show Contents]() McErlain History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of McErlainWhat does the name McErlain mean? MacErlean is a phonetic interpretation of the Irish Mac an Fhirléighinn, which means the "son of the learned man or lector," from the Gaelic "fear léighinn 'man of reading'." This was the title held by the head of a monastic school. 1 It is important to note that this name hails from ancient Ireland, but by the 12th century can be found in Ireland and Scotland as "the firleighinn or ferleighinn was the head of a monastic school both in Scotland and in Ireland. In Iona in 1164, we find Ferleighinn Dubside as one of the officials of the monastery, and in the following century the name is still preserved in connection with the church of St. Andrews." 2 Early Origins of the McErlain familyThe surname McErlain was first found in near Sligo town, County Sligo (Irish: Sligeach), in the province of Connacht in Northwestern Ireland, in the 15th century. In Scotland, "the name occurs as Virolecus in Adamnan as that of a man in Airchartdan (Glen Urquhart) baptized by the saint during his visit there. About 1211 Laurence, archdeacon and ferlan, head of the schools of St. Andrews, appears in connection with a dispute with the prior and canons; his title is Latinized Fertanus and Ferleynus. Morice Macinnn egin obtained possession of the perpetual vicarage of S. Comanus's in Ila after he had become excommunicate. In 1443 Donald, son of Dominic Macnafirlegind, perpetual vicar of S. Comanus's (Kilchoman), evidently a relative, was accused of being "a notorious fornicator." On the Kilchoman Cross is the inscription: Hec est crux foc(ta) pro animabus Doncani mec Innirlegin et Mari et Michaelis, "This is a cross made for the souls of Duncan, son of the lector and Mary and Michael." Its date may be about 1420 or 1430." 2 Early History of the McErlain familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our McErlain research. Another 27 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1603 and 1660 are included under the topic Early McErlain History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. McErlain Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: MacErlean, MacErlen, MacErlyn, McErlean, McErlane, McErlain, McErlenn, MacNerlin and many more. Early Notables of the McErlain familyAnother 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McErlain Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| McErlain migration to the United States | + |
McErlain Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Catherine McErlain, who arrived in New York in 1882
- MacLysaght, Edward, More Irish Families. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-0126-0)
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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