Show ContentsMcBroom History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

McBroom is a very old Scottish name that may even date back to the Dalriadan tribe of Scotland's western coast and Hebrides islands. It comes from the Gaelic name Maca'Bhriuthainn, which literally means the son of a judge.

Early Origins of the McBroom family

The surname McBroom was first found in on the Isle of Islay. Later, Andro McBrome, the burgess of Kirkcudbright, was charged with intromitting with pirates, 1576. Joannes McBromius appears in 1655 with his name in Latin form and Margaret McKbroome in the parish of Stonykirk, 1684. [1]

Early History of the McBroom family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McBroom research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1685 is included under the topic Early McBroom History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McBroom Spelling Variations

Spelling variations are a very common occurrence in records of early Scottish names. They result from the repeated and inaccurate translations that many names went through in the course of various English occupations of Scotland. McBroom has been spelled MacBroom, MacBrayne and others.

Early Notables of the McBroom family

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

McBroom Ranking

In the United States, the name McBroom is the 5,610th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [2]

Migration of the McBroom family

Numerous Scottish settlers settled along the east coast of the colonies that would become the United States and Canada. Others traveled to the open country of the west. At the time of the American War of Independence, some remained in the United States, while those who remained loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The highland games and Clan societies that sprang up across North America in the 20th century have helped many Scots to recover parts of their lost traditions. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first McBrooms to arrive in North America: Lough MacBrane settled in South Carolina in 1716; Patrick MacBraan settled in Pennsylvania in 1871.


Contemporary Notables of the name McBroom (post 1700) +

  • Ed McBroom, American politician, Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 108th district
  • Durga McBroom (b. 1962), American singer and actress
  • Amanda McBroom (b. 1947), American Golden Globe Award winning and Daytime Emmy Award nominated singer and song-writer
  • Kelly McBroom (b. 1989), Canadian National Ski Alpine Team Member
  • Thomas McBroom (b. 1952), Canadian golf course architect, twelve of his designs are listed in the 2006 ranking of Canada's top 100 courses


The McBroom 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: Fortis ceu leo fidus
Motto Translation: As strong as a dependable lion.


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


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