| ![Show Contents]() McAllan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The history of the name McAllan began when it was derived from the given name Alan, which is thought to mean "little rock" or "headstone." The name was popular among the Breton followers of William the Conqueror due to St. Alan, a 5th-century bishop from Quimper, Brittany; during the Middle Ages, parents often named their children after saints in the hope that the child would be blessed or protected by the saint. Early Origins of the McAllan familyThe surname McAllan was first found in the lands of Shropshire, where Walter FitzAlan of Brittany held a family seat after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The parish of Mileham, Norfolk is of early significance to the family. "This place, at the time of the Conquest, was given to Alan, son of Flaald, and ancestor of the Fitz-Alans, earls of Arundel, who erected a strong castle here, of which some vestiges may still be traced, within the area of an intrenchment of twelve acres; the site of the keep is pointed out by an inner intrenchment by which it was surrounded." 1 Alain de Lille (1114-1203), was "one of the most illustrious scholars of his age, and for his attainments in theology, philosophy, history, poetry, and natural science, acquired the designation of 'Doctor universalis.' His nationality has not been ascertained with unquestioned accuracy. " 2 Alan of Beccles (d. 1240) was official secretary to Bishops Pandulf and Thomas de Blundeville of Norwich between the years 1218 and 1236 and Alan of Tewkesbury, was a writer of the twelfth century, according to the express statement of Gervase of Canterbury, an Englishman by descent. 2 Early History of the McAllan familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our McAllan research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1430, 1457, 1532, 1583, 1594, 1596, 1608, 1610, 1611, 1612, 1614, 1621, 1634, 1635, 1637, 1658, 1660, 1661, 1663, 1668, 1671, 1673, 1677, 1681, 1685, 1686, 1692, 1694, 1700, 1705, 1717, 1726, 1738, 1764, 1789 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McAllan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. McAllan Spelling VariationsThe Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules, and therefore, Breton surnames have many spelling variations. Latin and French, which were the official court languages, were also influential on the spelling of surnames. The spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules. Therefore, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England after the Norman Conquest, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. The name has been spelled Alan, Allan, Allen, Alleyn, Allayne, Allaine, Allain, Allanach, Allanshaw, MacAllan and many more. Early Notables of the McAllan familyNotable of this family during the Middle Ages was William Allen (1532-1594), an English prelate; Francis Allen (ca.1583-1658), an English financier, politician and regicide who sided with parliament in the civil War against Charles I; John Allen, or John Allin (1596-1671) English settler America in 1637-38, one of the founders of Dedham, Massachusetts; Thomas Allen (1608-1673) English nonconformist minister and divine from Norwich; Richard Alleine (1610-1681), an English Puritan divine; Sir Thomas Allin, 1st Baronet (1612-1685), an officer of the Royal Navy; William Alleine (1614-1677), an English minister; John Alleyn or Allen (1621-1663), Cornish politician, MP for St Michael, Cornwall in...
Another 194 words (14 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McAllan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the McAllan family to Ireland
Some of the McAllan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 127 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| McAllan migration to the United States | + |
Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name McAllan were among those contributors:
McAllan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- John McAllan, aged 40, who arrived in New York in 1775 3
| McAllan migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: McAllan Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century- Mr. David McAllan U.E. who settled in Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 4
| McAllan migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: McAllan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- William McAllan, aged 22, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Hydaspes" 5
- Cathe. McAllan, aged 23, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Hydaspes" 5
- Henry McAllan, aged 21, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hydaspes" in 1851 5
- Diana McAllan, aged 18, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1859 aboard the ship "Escort"
- Helen McAllan, aged 28, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1859 aboard the ship "Escort"
| McAllan 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: McAllan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Michael McAllan, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1876
| Contemporary Notables of the name McAllan (post 1700) | + |
- Allison McAllan, American producer, known for her work on The First World War (2003) and The Week (1986-1992)
- David John McAllan (b. 1980), Scottish former a professional speedway rider for Glasgow Tigers
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
- 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
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HYDASPES 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Hydaspes.htm
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McAllan migration to the United States 
McAllan migration to Canada 
McAllan migration to Australia 
McAllan migration to New Zealand 
England
Ireland
