McMean History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The McMean family comes from the ancient Scottish Dalriadan clans of the mountainous west coast of Scotland. The name McMean is derived from a devotion to St. Munn. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Gille Mhunna, which means son of the servant of St. Munn.

Early Origins of the McMean family

The surname McMean 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 McMean family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McMean research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1526 and 1646 are included under the topic Early McMean History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McMean 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. McMean has appeared in various documents spelled MacMunn, MacIllmunie, MacIllmoon, MacMun and others.

Early Notables of the McMean family

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

McMean 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 McMean or a variant listed above:

McMean Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Juda and Felix McMean, who settled in Boston in 1768
Felix McMean, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1768 1
Juda McMean, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1768 1

The McMean 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: Omnia vincit veritas
Motto Translation: Truth conquers all things.

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)