MacKean History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The MacKean family comes from the ancient Scottish Dalriadan clans of the mountainous west coast of Scotland. The name MacKean is derived from the given name Ian or John. John is the most common personal name in the Highlands. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Iain.

Early Origins of the MacKean family

The surname MacKean was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the MacKean family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacKean research. Another 166 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1292, 1340, 1618, 1667, 1717, 1777, 1808, 1875 and 1890 are included under the topic Early MacKean History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacKean Spelling Variations

Spelling variations were extremely common in medieval names, since scribes from that era recorded names according to sound rather than a standard set of rules. MacKean has appeared in various documents spelled MacIan, MacAne, MacKane, MacKean, MacKain and others.

Early Notables of the MacKean family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was Archibald McKain (1717-1777), Scottish Shoemaker and Burgess of Elgin, Morayshire, who became the 15th Chief of MacIain of Ardnamurchan. Also of note was Thomas M'kean of Delaware, one of the signers of the American Declaration of Independence.John Canne (d. 1667?)...
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacKean Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the MacKean family to Ireland

Some of the MacKean family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacKean migration to the United States +

Dalriadan families proliferated in North America. Their descendants still populate many communities in the eastern parts of both the United States and Canada. Some settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists, in the wake of the American War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border have recovered much of their heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and highland games. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name MacKean or a variant listed above:

MacKean Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Daniel MacKean, who arrived in New England in 1651-1652 1

MacKean Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John MacKean, who settled in Boston in 1763
James MacKean, who settled in Carolina in 1767

MacKean Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Alexander, James, John, Lowrey, Thomas, and William MacKean, all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860

MacKean migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

MacKean Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Mackean, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Velore" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 8th August 1861 2
Mrs. Mackean, British settler with 2 family members travelling from London aboard the ship "Velore" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 8th August 1861 2

Contemporary Notables of the name MacKean (post 1700) +

Elizabeth Mary "Liz" MacKean (b. 1964), British television reporter and presenter

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html