Contents [hide]

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

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

McLaren History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The sea-swept Hebrides islands and the west coast of Scotland are the ancestral home of the McLaren family. Their name comes from the personal name Laurence. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Labhruinn, which means son of Labhran or son of Laurence. The Clan is believed to be descended from Lorn, son of Erc, who landed in Argyll in 503 AD. Although the lineage before the 12th century is difficult to prove, it has been established that the clan held vast territories called the Braes of Balquhidder. They were recorded as being 'all grand, strong men' and, when the Old Kirk at Balquhidder was being repaired, clan members supervised the exhumation of some of the bodies of ancient members of the clan from the graveyard that was a traditional the burial place of the theirs. They found bones measuring 23 and a half inches long, which makes them big men even by today's standards.

Early Origins of the McLaren family

The surname McLaren 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 in the valley of Loch Voil between the head of Loch Lomond and Loch Earn they were so powerful that it was once said that no one could take his place in church until the MacLaren Clan were properly seated.

They were kinsmen of the Celtic Earls of Strathearn and their branches were at Balquidder, Strathearn, Auchleskine, Stank, Druach and Lochearnside. They engaged neighboring Clans in lively feuds but always remained faithful in their allegiance to the Royal House of Stewart.

They were hereditary Celtic Abbots of Achtow and derive their name from Abbot Lawrence. For almost a thousand years the gathering place of the Clan has been Creag an Tuirc, the 'Boars Rock' in Achtow, in Balquhidder. This has also been adopted as their slogan.

Early History of the McLaren family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McLaren research. Another 312 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1344, 1698, 1745 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McLaren History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McLaren Spelling Variations

Medieval translation of Gaelic names could not be referred to as an accurate process. Spelling was not yet standardized, and names in documents from that era are riddled with spelling variations. McLaren has been written as MacLaren, MacLaron, MacLaurin, MacLarty, MacClarence, MacPhater, MacFeeter and many more.

Early Notables of the McLaren family

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

McLaren World Ranking

In the United States, the name McLaren is the 5,531^st most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1 However, in Australia, the name McLaren is ranked the 519^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,386 people with that name. 2 And in New Zealand, the name McLaren is the 385^th popular surname with an estimated 1,684 people with that name. 3 The United Kingdom ranks McLaren as 911^st with 7,549 people. 4

Migration of the McLaren family to Ireland

Some of the McLaren family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 78 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McLaren migration to the United States +

Many of the ancestors of Dalriadan families who arrived in North America still live in communities along the east coast of Canada and the United States. In the American War of Independence many of the original settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the ancestors of many Scots began recovering their collective national heritage through Clan societies, highland games, and other patriotic events. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name McLaren or a variant listed above:

McLaren Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John and Patrick McLaren who settled in South Carolina in 1716
Patrick McLaren, who arrived in South Carolina in 1716 5
Donald McLaren, aged 12, who arrived in North Carolina in 1774 5
Duncan McLaren, aged 30, who landed in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1775 5
James McLaren, aged 32, who arrived in New York, NY in 1775 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McLaren Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Susan McLaren, who arrived in America in 1821 5
Archibald McLaren, who settled in Savannah in 1821
Robert McLaren, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1834 5
Daniel, David, James, John, Lawrence, and Peter McLaren all, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1840 and 1860

McLaren Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Rebecca Emberson McLaren, who arrived in Colorado in 1902 5

McLaren migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McLaren Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Adam McLaren, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749
Mr. Archibald McLaren U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1784 6
Mr. Hugh McLaren U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1784 6
Mr. Peter McLaren U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1784 he served in Jessups Corps, married to Nancy McLarin 6

McLaren Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Alexander McLaren, aged 27, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Favourite" in 1815
Margaret McLaren, aged 29, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Favourite" in 1815
James McLaren, aged 39, a weaver, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
Euphemia McLaren, aged 33, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
John McLaren, aged 15, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McLaren migration to Australia +

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

McLaren Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William McLaren, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for life, transported aboard the "England"on 28th April 1826, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7
Miss Ann McLaren, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Buffalo" on 4th May 1833, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Mr. John Mclaren, (b. 1809), aged 25, Scottish labourer who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 27th September 1834, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
Mr. James McLaren who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for life, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 4th August 1836, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
Mr. Hugh McLaren, Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 20th January 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McLaren 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:

McLaren Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. James Mclaren, British settler, as the 2nd Detachment of New Zealand Corps of Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Minerva" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 8th October 1847 11
Peter McLaren, aged 23, a farm labourer, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "Mariner" in 1849
Jessie McLaren, aged 20, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "Mariner" in 1849
Gilbert McLaren, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cresswell" in 1856
Mr. P. McLaren, Scottish settler travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 9th February 1858 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name McLaren (post 1700) +

Fraser McLaren (b. 1988), Scottish footballer
William "Willie" McLaren (b. 1984), Scottish professional footballer
Malcolm McLaren (b. 1946), English impresario and musician who was the manager of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols
Dame Anne Laura Dorinthea McLaren DBE, FRS, FRCOG (1927-2017), British vitro fertilization scientist who was a leading figure in developmental biology, Fellow of the Royal Society in 1975
Scott McLaren (b. 1968), former Australian rules football field umpire
Bruce Leslie McLaren (1937-1970), New Zealand, race-car designer, driver, engineer and inventor, eponym of Team McLaren race car team
Charles Melville McLaren (1913-2003), 3rd Baron Aberconway
Norman McLaren (1914-1987), Canadian Film Director
Kyle Mclaren (b. 1977), Canadian professional (NHL) hockey player
John McLaren Biggar (1874-1943), Scottish politician, Lord Provost of Glasgow (1941-1943)

Historic Events for the McLaren family +

HMS Hood

Mr. John B McLaren (b. 1922), English Midshipman serving for the Royal Navy Reserve from Durban, South Africa moved to Hove, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 13

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. James Mclaren, British Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 14

HMS Repulse

Mr. Kenneth Mclaren (b. 1918), British Engine Room Artificer 4th Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 15

HMS Royal Oak

William McLaren (d. 1939), British Boy 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 16

RMS Titanic

Mrs. McLaren, aged 40, English Stewardess from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking by escaping in life boat 5 17

The McLaren 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: Creag an tuirc
Motto Translation: The boar's rock.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"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 24th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/england
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/buffalo
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). 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
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
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
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html