Show ContentsMcEachnie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of McEachnie

What does the name McEachnie mean?

The Hebrides islands and the west coast of Scotland are the ancestral home of the McEachnie family. Their name comes from /the personal names Eachan and Eochaidh. The Gaelic form of the name is usually Mac Eachainn, meaning son of Eachan. However, The surnames MacGeachie, MacGeachy, and MacKeachie are derived from the Irish surname Mag Eachaidh, an Ulster variant of Mag Eochadha, which means son of Eochaidh. 1

Early Origins of the McEachnie family

The surname McEachnie was first found in Knoydart, where they were a sept of the MacDonalds, descended from Hector (Gaelic Eachann,) second son of Roderick MacDonald, 3rd of Moydart and Clanranald. 2

Early History of the McEachnie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McEachnie research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1686, 1694, 1711, 1715, 1745 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McEachnie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McEachnie 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. McEachnie has been written as McEachan, McGeachan, McKechnie, McGeachie and many more.

Early Notables of the McEachnie family

Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McEachnie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McEachnie family to Ireland

Some of the McEachnie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


McEachnie migration to Australia +

McEachnie Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • John McEachnie, aged 30, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Melbourne"

McEachnie 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:

McEachnie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Michael McEachnie, aged 36, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Blenheim" in 1840


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, Supplement to Irish Families. Baltimore: Genealogical Book Company, 1964. Print.
  2. 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)


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