Show ContentsMacEachran History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Clan from whom the MacEachran family descends began among the ancient Dalriadan kingdom of the west coast of Scotland. Their name comes from person who was skilled in the riding of horses or who owned many horses. The Gaelic form of the name was Mac Eachthighearna, which translates as son of the horse-lord. 1

Early Origins of the MacEachran family

The surname MacEachran was first found in Kintyre, where "on the shaft of the cross at Kilkerran near Campbeltown, is the inscription: Hec est: crvx: Coleni: Mc: Heachyrna: et Katirine: uxoris: eivs (Drummond, Sculptured monuments of Iona, pl. lxxxi). This is probably Colin MacEachern who was chief of the Macecherns in 1499." 1

Early History of the MacEachran family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacEachran research. Another 188 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1499, 1505, 1506, 1507, 1512, 1515, 1541, 1596, 1605, 1647, 1659, 1662, 1682, 1684, 1694, 1769, 1788, 1798, 1801, 1806, 1814, 1818, 1847, 1849 and 1888 are included under the topic Early MacEachran History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacEachran Spelling Variations

Historical recordings of the name MacEachran include many spelling variations. They are the result of repeated translations of the name from Gaelic to English and inconsistencies in spelling rules. They include MacEachern, MacEachen, MacEachan, MacEachin, MacEachren and many more.

Early Notables of the MacEachran family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was Evan MacEachen (1769-1849), Gaelic scholar, born at Arisaig, Invernessshire, in 1769, was educated in a school at Ruthven, near Keith. He was sent in 1788 to the Scots College at Valladolid, where he was ordained priest in 1798. On his return to the mission he was stationed at Arisaig. In 1801 he was removed to Badenoch...
Another 63 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacEachran Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the MacEachran family to Ireland

Some of the MacEachran family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the MacEachran family

Significant portions of the populations of both the United States and Canada are still made up of the ancestors of Dalriadan families. Some of those in Canada originally settled the United States, but went north as United Empire Loyalists in the American War of Independence. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the ancestors of many Scots on both sides of the border begin to recover their collective national heritage through Clan societies and highland games. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Archibald MacEachern and his wife Jean, who settled in New York State with the children in 1738; Donald MacEachern and his wife Anne settled with his child in New York State in 1738.


Contemporary Notables of the name MacEachran (post 1700) +

  • Wendell MacEachran, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Wisconsin, 1956 2
  • W. E. MacEachran, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1956, 1960 2
  • Clinton Edson MacEachran (b. 1887), American Republican politician, U.S. Consul in Antwerp, 1922-23; Ghent, 1924-26; Madrid, 1926-27; U.S. Consul General in Fort William, 1938; Port Arthur, 1938; Halifax, 1940 2


The MacEachran 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: Per mare per terras
Motto Translation: By sea and by land.


  1. 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)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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