The sea-swept
Hebrides islands and the west coast of
Scotland are the ancestral home of the MacGapan family. Their name comes from
the son of the blond one, or
son of Alpin.Early Origins of the MacGapan family
The surname MacGapan 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 were descended from King Kenneth MacAlpin who was murdered by the
Picts near Dundee in the year 834. MacAlpin is generally considered to have been the first king to rule both Scots and
Picts, and as such, was the first king of Scotland.
Early History of the MacGapan family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacGapan research.
Another 385 words (28 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1395, 1405, 1531, 1557, 1658, 1725 and 1692 are included under the topic Early MacGapan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
MacGapan 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. MacGapan has been written as MacAlpine, MacAlpin, MacAilpein (Gaelic) and others.
Early Notables of the MacGapan family (pre 1700)
Notable amongst the
Clan from early times was Sir John MacAlpin; John MacAlpine (Latin: Maccabeus) (died 1557), a Scottish Protestant theologian; and Joseph Capen (1658-1725), a Massachusetts clergyman who during...
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacGapan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the MacGapan family to Ireland
Some of the MacGapan family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the MacGapan family to the New World and Oceana
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 MacGapan or a variant listed above: Robert MacAlpin, who settled in New York State in 1740; William MacAlpine settled in New York in 1774; Hugh and James MacAlpin settled in New York in 1811. James Alpin was registered as a United Empire Loyalist..