| ![Show Contents]() McGlashen Surname History
Etymology of McGlashenWhat does the name McGlashen mean? Gaelic is at the heart of many of the Irish surnames that can be found throughout the world today. The original Gaelic form of the name McGlashen is Mac Glasain or Mac Glaisin; both are derived from the word "glas," which means "green" or "gray-green." Early Origins of the McGlashen familyThe surname McGlashen was first found in County Clare (Irish: An Clár) located on the west coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from ancient times. McGlashen stones known as "stones of strength", or "testing stones" were used for centuries as tests of strength of young men in Scotland. Traditionally known as "clach cuid fir", or "manhood stones," young men were welcomed into manhood when he was able to lift the "clach cuid fir" from the ground to waist height. More recently McGlashen Stones and the Dinnie Stones have been used in many Strongman competitions since the 1980s. In Scotland, the name is from the "Gaelic M'Glaisein, a diminutive form of M'Ghille ghlals 'son of the grey lad.' [Other early records include] Mulmory M'Glassen in the Black Isle, 1500. Iain McGalssan or McGlassane was witness at Ardgartene, 1515. John M'Glassan witnessed an instrument of sasine in 1519, as also did Cristin M'Gillecallum M'Glassen in 1525, and Paul M'Glassen is in record in Lochalsh in 1548." 1 Indeed, Scotland became the home to many of the family as today most claim to be Scottish. Early History of the McGlashen familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our McGlashen research. Another 167 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1515, 1548, 1647, 1681, 1710, 1740 and 1797 are included under the topic Early McGlashen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. McGlashen Spelling VariationsDuring the Middle Ages, a standardized literary language known by the general population of Ireland was a thing of fiction. When a person's name was recorded by one of the few literate scribes, it was up that particular scribe to decide how to spell an individual's name. So a person could have several spelling variations of his name recorded during a single lifetime. Research into the name McGlashen revealed many variations, including MacGlashan, MacGlashen, MacGlasheen, MacGlassan, MacGlasson, Houneen, O'Houneen and many more. Early Notables of the McGlashen familyMore information is included under the topic Early McGlashen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the McGlashen familyThousands of Irish left in their homeland in the 18th and 19th centuries to escape the religious and political discrimination they experienced primarily at the hands of the English, and in the search of a plot of land to call their own. These immigrants arrived at the eastern shores of North America, early on settling and breaking the land, and, later, building the bridges, canals, and railroads essential to the emerging nations of United States and Canada. Many others would toil for low wages in the dangerous factories of the day. Although there had been a steady migration of Irish to North America over these years, the greatest influx of Irish immigrants came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name McGlashen or a variant listed above: Robert MacGlashan with his wife and two children who arrived in New York in 1775 and moved on to Georgia, as well as John MacGlashan, who was recorded in Savannah, Georgia in 1855..
| Contemporary Notables of the name McGlashen (post 1700) | + |
- Royce Peter McGlashen MBE (b. 1949), New Zealand ceramicist, winner of the Merit Awards at the Fletcher Brownbuilt Pottery Award (1983 and 1987)
- 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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