Contents [hide]

McClain History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

McClain History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland-Alt
Scotland
Ireland

On the Scottish west coast, the McClain family was born among the ancient Dalriadan clans. The surname is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Gille Eathain, a patronymic name meaning "son of the servant of Saint John." The Clan is descended from Eachan Reaganach, (brother of Lachlan the progenitor of the Macleans of Duart). These two brothers were both descended from Gilleathain na Tuaidh, known as 'Gillian of the Battleaxe', a famed warrior of the 5th century. Eachan, or Hector was given the lands of Lochbuie from John, the first Lord of the Isles, some time in the 14th century.

Early Origins of the McClain family

The surname McClain was first found in the Western Isles where the Clan held extensive lands on almost every island in the Western Hebrides.

Early History of the McClain family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McClain research. Another 139 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1310, 1320, 1370, 1411, 1500, 1560, 1582, 1604, 1620, 1630, 1645, 1649, 1650, 1651, 1658, 1666, 1670, 1674, 1687, 1716, 1745 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McClain History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McClain Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: MacLean, MacLaine, MacLane, MacLeane, MacClean, MacClain, MacClaine, MacGhille Eoin (Gaelic) and many more.

Early Notables of the McClain family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was Hector MacLean, Lord of Dowart (c.1560-c.1630), Scottish Lord of the Clan MacLean; Francis Cleyn (Clein, Franz Klein) (c. 1582-1658), a painter and tapestry designer; Sir John Maclean, 1st Baronet, (1604-1666); Sir Hector Maclean, 2nd Baronet of Morvern (c.1620-1651), the 18th Clan Chief of Clan Maclean from 1649 to 1651...
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McClain Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McClain Ranking

In the United States, the name McClain is the 553^rd most popular surname with an estimated 52,227 people with that name. 1

Migration of the McClain family to Ireland

Some of the McClain family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 67 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McClain migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McClain Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John McClain, who landed in Frederick County, Maryland in 1796 2

McClain Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William McClain, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1820 2
Samuel McClain, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1823 2
Benjamin McClain, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1831 2
Andrew McClain, who arrived in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1841 2
Alexander McClain, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1854 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McClain Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Charles McClain, aged 25, who immigrated to America, in 1919

McClain migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McClain Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

James McClain, aged 15, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Leslie Gault" in 1834
John McClain, aged 30, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Leslie Gault" in 1834
Rebecca McClain, aged 7, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Leslie Gault" in 1834
Mary McClain, aged 28, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Leslie Gault" in 1834

Contemporary Notables of the name McClain (post 1700) +

Elijah Jovan McClain (1996-2019), American Black man from Aurora, Colorado, who was killed as result of being injected with 500 mg of ketamine by paramedics after being forcibly detained by police officers
Emlin McClain (1851-1915), American jurist, Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court (1901-1912)
Konnor McClain (b. 2005), American artistic gymnast, member of the United States women's national gymnastics team, the 2022 U.S National Champion
Edward Browning "E. B." McClain (1940-2020), American politician, Member of the Alabama Senate (1995-2009)
China Anne McClain, American actress and singer, member of the 3McClainGirls
Theodore "Ted" McClain (b. 1946), retired American professional basketball player
Thaddeus Brew McClain (1876-1935), American track and field athlete at the 1900 Summer Olympics
Steve McClain (b. 1962), American men's head basketball coach at the University of Illinois at Chicago
Michael Sean McClain (b. 1975), American foil fencer
Patricia Margot McClain (b. 1954), American model
... (Another 16 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the McClain family +

Fraterville mine

Mr. Sampson McClain (d. 1902), African Welsh coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 3

St. Francis Dam

Mr. Donald J. "Whitey" McClain, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
Mrs. Nellie McClain, American resident in Santa Clarita who survived when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928 had injuries

The McClain 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: Virtue mine honour
Motto Translation: Virtue is my honour.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
News paper article Fraterville Mine Disaster retrieved on 6th August 2021. (Retrieved from http://www.tn.gov/tsla/exhibits/disasters/fraterville.htm).