Show ContentsMcCallum History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

In the mountains of Scotland's west coast and on the Hebrides islands, the ancestors of the McCallum family were born. Their name comes from the Gaelic personal name "MacChaluim" which means "son of Calum," oe "son of St. Colomba." The names MacCallum and Malcolm are used interchangeably as Calum is the often Anglicized as Malcolm. 1

Early Origins of the McCallum family

The surname McCallum 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 quickly attained the status of Clan. Their ancient Clan seat was at Poltalloch near Loch Craignish.

The related Clan Calum is said to have been from Ariskeodnish. One of the earliest records of the name was Reginald MacCallum of Corbarron who was made the hereditary constable of Craignish Castle in 1414. Sir Duncan Campbell granted him lands in Craignish and on Loch Avich. This arrangement demonstrates the strong alliance between the MacCallums and the Campbells of Argyll; an arrangement which made them deadly foes of the MacDonalds.

In 1647, Sir Alexander MacDonald killed Zacharie MacCallum, a supporter of the Campbell Chief, in battle at Ederline. In the 17th century, another Zachary Maccallum was bequeathed the Cobarron lands by the last of that branch.

Early History of the McCallum family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McCallum research. Another 270 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1562, 1647, 1665, 1779, 1793, 1800, 1850 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McCallum History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McCallum Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Malcolmson, Malcollm, Malcom, Malcomb, Malcome, Malcomson, Malcum, MacCallam, MacCallum and many more.

Early Notables of the McCallum family

Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McCallum Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McCallum World Ranking

In the United States, the name McCallum is the 3,627th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name McCallum is ranked the 636th most popular surname with an estimated 8,173 people with that name. 3 And in Australia, the name McCallum is the 500th popular surname with an estimated 7,618 people with that name. 4 New Zealand ranks McCallum as 416th with 1,583 people. 5

Migration of the McCallum family to Ireland

Some of the McCallum family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 127 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


McCallum migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McCallum Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Archibald McCallum, who landed in New Jersey in 1685 6
  • Neil McCallum, who landed in New Jersey in 1685 6
McCallum Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Mary McCallum, who arrived in New York in 1740 6
  • Flory McCallum, who landed in New York, NY in 1740 6
  • Duncan McCallum, aged 30, who arrived in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1775 6
  • Hugh McCallum, aged 32, who arrived in New York in 1775 6
  • Finlay McCallum, who landed in New York in 1789 6
McCallum Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Malcolm McCallum, who landed in Mississippi in 1840 6
  • James McCallum, who landed in Mississippi in 1842 6

McCallum migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McCallum Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Henry McCallum, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
  • Mrs. Catherine McCallum U.E. who settled in Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 7
  • Mr. John McCallum U.E. who settled in Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 7
  • Mr. John McCallum Jr., U.E. who settled in Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 7
  • Sgt. Peter McCallum U.E. who settled in Schoodic Falls [St. Stephen], Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 he served in the 74th Regiment 7
McCallum Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • John McCallum, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Favourite" in 1815
  • John McCallum, aged 45, Scottish joiner who arrived in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1815-1816 with his wife and 4 children
  • Peter McCallum, aged 17, Scottish clerk, who arrived in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1815-1816
  • Duncan McCallum, aged 21, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Favourite" in 1815
  • Angus McCallum, who arrived in Canada in 1820
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McCallum migration to Australia +

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

McCallum Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Malcolm McCallum, English convict who was convicted in Northumberland, England for life, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 22nd September 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
  • Mr. Duncan McCallum who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Dick" on 2nd October 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
  • Mrs. Mary Mccallum, (Mckinnon), (b. 1802), aged 28, Scottish servant who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Earl of Liverpool" in December 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, 1 child listed aboard with her 10
  • Miss Margaret McCallum, (Craig), Scottish Convict who was convicted in Perth, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atwick" on 28 September 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 11
  • Mr. John McCallum, Scottish convict who was convicted in Inverary, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Blenheim" on 11th March 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McCallum 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:

McCallum Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • D. McCallum, Scottish settler travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 9th February 1858 13
  • Mr. John Mccallum, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Excelsior" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 17th March 1859 14
  • Mr. Duncan McCallum, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd September 1860 13
  • Mr. Archibald McCallum, Scottish settler travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th October 1861 13
  • Mrs. McCallum, Scottish settler with 2 daughters travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th October 1861 13
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name McCallum (post 1700) +

  • Scott McCallum (b. 1950), American Republican politician, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin from 1987-2001 and acting Governor of Wisconsin in 2001-2003 15
  • Richard "Rick" McCallum (b. 1954), German-born American film producer, known for his work on The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and the Star Wars Trilogy: Special Edition and prequel trilogy
  • Napoleon Ardel McCallum (b. 1963), former American college and professional football player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
  • Scott McCallum (b. 1950), American politician, 43rd Governor of U.S. state of Wisconsin
  • Spencer Heath McCallum (b. 1931), American anthropologist, business consultant and libertarian
  • Robert McCallum Jr. (b. 1946), American Rhodes Scholar and Ambassador to Australia (2006-2009)
  • David McCallum (1933-2023), Scottish actor and musician, known for his early role as Illya Kuryakin, a Russian secret agent, in the television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964-1968) and more recently as Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard in the series NCIS
  • Cornelius J. "Neil" McCallum (1868-1920), Scottish footballer
  • David McCallum Sr. (1897-1972), Scottish first violinist of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Scottish National Orchestra
  • Daniel McCallum (1815-1878), Scottish-born, American railroad engineer and general manager of the New York and Erie Railroad and Union Major General during the American Civil War
  • ... (Another 15 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMAS Sydney II
  • Mr. Duncan McCallum, Scottish Canteen Assistant from Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Scotland, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II (1942) and died in the sinking 16
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. Albert Alexander Mccallum, English 3rd Class passenger from England, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 17


The McCallum 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: In ardua petit
Motto Translation: He has attempted difficult things.


  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/
  3. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  4. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  5. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  6. 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)
  7. 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
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Dick
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-of-liverpool
  11. Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 23rd August 2020 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atwick
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blenheim
  13. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  14. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  15. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  16. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  17. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/


Houseofnames.com on Facebook