Contents [hide]

MacLean History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

MacLean History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland-Alt
Scotland

Clan Maclaine of Lochbuie is a branch of the Scottish Clan MacLean. The surname is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Gille Eathain, a patronymic name meaning "son of the servant of Saint John." The Clan is descended from Eachan Reaganach, (brother of Lachlan the progenitor of the Macleans of Duart). These two brothers were both descended from Gilleathain na Tuaidh, known as 'Gillian of the Battleaxe', a famed warrior of the 5th century. Eachan, or Hector was given the lands of Lochbuie from John, the first Lord of the Isles, some time in the 14th century.

Early Origins of the MacLean family

The surname MacLean was first found in on the Isle of Mull, an island of the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland.

Early History of the MacLean family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacLean research. Another 328 words (23 lines of text) covering the years 1386, 1470, 1538, 1645, 1650 and 1687 are included under the topic Early MacLean History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacLean Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: MacLean, MacLain, MacLaine, MacLane, MacLeane, MacClean, MacClain, MacClaine, MacGhille Eoin, Macklin, MacCleane, McKleane, McCleant, McCleind, McCleand, McClaink, McClaing, Cleind, MacClean, McCleen, McCleane, McClean, McClaine, McClain, Macklaim, Leand, Leind, MacClaine, Leane and many more.

Early Notables of the MacLean family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was

John MacLean (1470-1538), 5th Chief of the Clan Maclaine of Lochbuie

MacLean World Ranking

In the United States, the name MacLean is the 4,174^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name MacLean is ranked the 210^th most popular surname with an estimated 18,538 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name MacLean is the 763^rd popular surname with an estimated 5,102 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks MacLean as 484^th with 1,410 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks MacLean as 683^rd with 9,719 people. 5

MacLean migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

MacLean Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Andrew Maclean, who arrived in New Jersey in 1685 6

MacLean Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Maclean, who landed in Maryland in 1716 6
Allan MacLean, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1740 6
Neil MacLean, who landed in New York in 1770 6
John MacLean, who arrived in America in 1775 6

MacLean Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Bridget MacLean, who landed in New York, NY in 1815 6
Owen MacLean, who arrived in New York, NY in 1815 6
Peter MacLean, who arrived in New York, NY in 1815 6
Thomas MacLean, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 6
Henry Clinton Maclean, who arrived in New York in 1835 6

MacLean migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

MacLean Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Archibald Maclean U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 7
Mr. Donald MacLean U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 7

MacLean Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Don Maclean, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1801
John Maclean, aged 10, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1801
Kath Maclean, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1801
Margaret Maclean, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1801
Mary Maclean, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1801
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

MacLean migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

MacLean Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Hugh MacLean, (Mclaine), (b. 1789), aged 21, British Convict who was convicted in India, transported aboard the "Eagle" in 1810, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he was sent to Newcastle in 1811 8
John MacLean, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "America" on April 4, 1829, settling in New South Wales, Australia 9
Mr. William Maclean, English convict who was convicted in Liverpool, Merseyside, England for life, transported aboard the "Florentia" on 11th August 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1842 10
Donald MacLean, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Indus" in 1839 11
Miss Euphemia Maclean who was convicted in Inverary, Scotland for 7 years , transported aboard the "Aurora" on 22nd April 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

MacLean 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:

MacLean Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Robert MacLean, who landed in Tamaki, Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
Every MacLean, who landed in Tamaki, Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
D MacLean, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1841
Miss Maclean, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Josephine Willis" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 5th February 1855 13
Mr. Maclean, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Josephine Willis" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 5th February 1855 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name MacLean (post 1700) +

Katherine Anne MacLean (1925-2019), American science fiction author
Paul D. MacLean (1913-2007), American physician and neuroscientist
Bryan Andrew MacLean (1946-1998), American singer, guitarist and songwriter
Norman Fitzroy Maclean (1902-1990), American author, and professor of English at University of Chicago
John MacLean (1800-1886), American educator, president of Princeton University (1854-1868)
Dave Maclean (1944-2023), born José Carlos González, a Brazilian singer-songwriter
Archer Maclean (1962-2022), British video game programmer and author of Dropzone which he developed for the Atari 8-bit family and was ported to other systems, best known for his series of snooker and pool games, which commenced with Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker in 1991
Neil MacLean QSO (d. 2022), New Zealand jurist and New Zealand's first chief coroner, Coroner during the Pike River Mine disaster and the Christchurch earthquakes
Dorothy Maclean (1920-2020), Canadian writer and educator on spiritual subjects from Guelph, Ontario
Norman Hector Mackinnon Maclean (1936-2017), Scottish Gaelic: Tormod MacGill-Eain, Scottish Gaelic comedian, novelist, poet, musician and broadcaster
... (Another 16 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the MacLean family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Hugh W P Maclean (b. 1911), Scottish Ordinary Coder serving for the Royal Navy from Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 14

HMS Royal Oak

Eardly G.S. Maclean, British Paymaster Lieutenant Commander with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 15

The MacLean 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: Vincere vel mori
Motto Translation: To conquer or die.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eagle
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 26) America voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1829 with 176 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/america/1829
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/florentia
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) INDUS 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Indus.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/aurora
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html