MacLeod History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Scotland

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The root of the ancient Dalriadan-Scottish name MacLeod is the personal name Leod. The Gaelic form of the surname is Mac Leoid, which means son of Leod, son of Olaf the Black, King of Man and the Northern Isles. Olaf was from a dynasty of Norse Kings, who, for centuries held the Isles. They were in turn descended from King Halfdan the Stingy, a King who was reputed to be descended from the god Frey. Leod held the island of Lewis, the mainland Glenelg and part of Skye in about 1195 AD. It was his two sons who founded the two great branches of the Siol Tormod and the Siol Torquil.

Early Origins of the MacLeod family

The surname MacLeod was first found in on the Isle of Lewis (Scottish Gaelic: Leòdhas), where the Siol Tormod branch held the territories of Harris, Glenelg and Dunvegan Castle in Skye; while the Siol Torquil branch held Assynt and Cadboll, and the Island of Ramasay. There were no title deeds for these territories as they had been considered possessions of Norway. Yet when King Haakon asserted his authority over the lands in 1263 King Alexander resisted. Although the Scottish King Alexander signed the Treaty of Perth allowing payment of rent to Norway for all these lands, it was never paid and the whole of the western Isles became Scottish possessions.

Early History of the MacLeod family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacLeod research. Another 380 words (27 lines of text) covering the years 1314, 1597, 1613, 1715, 1745, 1777, 1901 and 1959 are included under the topic Early MacLeod History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacLeod Spelling Variations

Historical recordings of the name MacLeod include many spelling variations. They include They are the result of repeated translations of the name from Gaelic to English and inconsistencies in spelling rules. MacLeod, MacCleod, MacCloud, MacLoud and many more.

Early Notables of the MacLeod family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was

Sir Roderick MacLeod of Dunvegan Castle who led 600 of his Clansmen to Ireland to assist in O'Donnell's rebellion and Lord MacLeod's Highlanders (73rd Regiment - later the 71st Regiment) which was rai...

MacLeod World Ranking

In the United States, the name MacLeod is the 4,749^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name MacLeod is ranked the 202^nd most popular surname with an estimated 18,779 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name MacLeod is the 903^rd popular surname with an estimated 4,359 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks MacLeod as 545^th with 1,287 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks MacLeod as 421^st with 15,420 people. 5

MacLeod migration to the United States +

Descendents of Dalriadan-Scottish families still populate many communities across North America. They are particularly common in Canada, since many went north as United Empire Loyalists at the time of the American War of Independence. Much later, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the highland games and Clan societies that now dot North America sprang up, allowing many Scots to recover their lost national heritage. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name MacLeod, or a variant listed above:

MacLeod Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John MacLeod, who landed in New England in 1651-1652 6

MacLeod Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Macleod, who arrived in Georgia in 1735 6
Alexander Macleod, who landed in North Carolina in 1753 6
Donald MacLeod, who arrived in North Carolina in 1771 6
Donald Macleod, who landed in North Carolina in 1774 6
Alexander MacLeod, who arrived in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1774 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

MacLeod migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

MacLeod Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Hector Macleod, aged 19, who landed in Churchill Factory, Canada in 1813

MacLeod migration to Australia +

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

MacLeod Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Francis Hector George Macleod, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "James Turcan" in 1841 7
Hannah Elizabeth Macleod, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "James Turcan" in 1841 7
Flora Ann Macleod, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "James Turcan" in 1841 7
Marion Macleod, aged 28, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "James Fernie" 8
Alexander Macleod, aged 39, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Switzerland"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

MacLeod 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:

MacLeod Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Ann Macleod, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Sandford" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 9th July 1856 9
Miss Catherine Macleod, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Sandford" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 9th July 1856 9
Murdo MacLeod, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Viscount Canning" in 1865
Neil MacLeod, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Viscount Canning" in 1865
Alasdair MacLeod, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Viscount Canning" in 1865
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name MacLeod (post 1700) +

Gavin MacLeod (1930-2021), born Allan George See, an American five-time Golden Globe nominated actor who is best remembered as Captain Stubing on the "Loveboat" and for his for his role as writer Murray Slaughter the "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"
Norman Zenos Macleod (1898-1964), American film director, cartoonist and writer
Karen MacLeod (1958-2021), birth name of Karen Nicolson, Scottish long-distance runner at the 1996 Summer Olympics and 1993 World Championships in Athletics
Iseabail Macleod MBE (d. 2018), Scottish lexicographer
Frederick Robertson MacLeod (1882-1976), Scottish-American golfer and winner of the 1908 U.S. Open
Dame Flora MacLeod DBE (1878-1976), 28th chief of Clan MacLeod
Ken MacLeod (b. 1954), Scottish science fiction writer
John James Rickard Macleod (1876-1935), Scottish physician, physiologist, and recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Iain Norman Macleod (1913-1970), Scottish politician
Ian Donald MacLeod (1945-2022), Canadian football player who played for the Edmonton Eskimos (1966-1969)
... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)