Show ContentsMcLin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Norman Conquest of Ireland lead by Strongbow introduced the first non-Gaelic elements into Irish nomenclature. These Anglo-Normans brought some traditions to Ireland that were not readily found within Gaelic system of hereditary surnames. One of the best examples of this is the local surname. Local surnames, such as McLin, were taken from the name of a place or a geographical feature where the person lived, held land, or was born. These surnames were very common in England, but were almost non-existent within Ireland previous to the conquest. Originally, these place names were prefixed by "de," which means "from" in French. This type of prefix was eventually either made a part of the surname, if the place name began with a vowel, or was eliminated entirely. The McLin family originally lived in the settlement of Llanaghan, which is in the Welsh county of Brecon.

Early Origins of the McLin family

The surname McLin was first found in County Roscommon (Irish: Ros Comáin) located in central Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they were granted lands by Strongbow after his invasion of Ireland in 1172.

Early History of the McLin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McLin research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1249 is included under the topic Early McLin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McLin Spelling Variations

During an investigation of the origin of each name, it was found that church officials and medieval scribes spelled many surnames as they sounded. Therefore, during the lifetime of a single person, a name could be spelt numerous ways. Some of the spelling variations for the name McLin include Lanigan, Lanahan, Lenaghan, Lanaghan, Linehan and many more.

Early Notables of the McLin family

More information is included under the topic Early McLin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McLin Ranking

In the United States, the name McLin is the 8,458th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States McLin migration to the United States +

A great number of Irish families left their homeland in the late 18th century and throughout the 19th century, migrating to such far away lands as Australia and North America. The early settlers left after much planning and deliberation. They were generally well off but they desired a tract of land that they could farm solely for themselves. The great mass of immigrants to arrive on North American shores in the 1840s differed greatly from their predecessors because many of them were utterly destitute, selling all they had to gain a passage on a ship or having their way paid by a philanthropic society. These Irish people were trying to escape the aftermath of the Great Potato Famine: poverty, starvation, disease, and, for many, ultimately death. Those that arrived on North American shores were not warmly welcomed by the established population, but they were vital to the rapid development of the industry, agriculture, and infrastructure of the infant nations of the United States and what would become Canada. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Irish settlers bearing the name McLin:

McLin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Olof Mclin, who arrived at Ellis Island, America in 1895
  • Pauline Mclin, who arrived at Ellis Island, America in November 1895
  • Marlena Mclin, who arrived at Ellis Island, America in November 1895
McLin Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Hulda E. Mc Lin, who arrived at Ellis Island, America in August 1902
  • Agnes McLin, who arrived at Ellis Island, America in October 1907
  • William H. McLin, who arrived at Ellis Island, America in October 1907
  • William H McLin, who arrived at Ellis Island, America in March 1911
  • William Mc Lin, who arrived at Ellis Island, America in April 1913
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name McLin (post 1700) +

  • Lena Mae McLin (1928-2023), née Johnson, an American music teacher, composer and author, founder of the McLin Ensemble in the 1950s
  • Lieutenant Commander Robert D. McLin, U.S. Navy, a pilot of LC-130 Hercules aircraft in Antarctica, eponym of the McLin Glacier, Antarctica
  • Rhine Lana McLin (b. 1948), American Democratic politician, 54th Mayor of Dayton (2002-2010), Member of the Ohio Senate (1995-2001)
  • Clarence Josef McLin Sr. (1899-1966), American funeral director and politician, Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
  • Claude McLin (1925-1995), American jazz tenor saxophonist
  • Clarence Josef "C.J." McLin Jr. (1921-1988), American politician, Member of the Ohio House of Representatives (1967-1988)
  • McLin Lunday (1792-1834), American politician, Member of Georgia State House of Representatives, 1834


The McLin Motto +

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: Patriae infelici fidelis
Motto Translation: Faithful to an unhappy country.


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/


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