Show ContentsMcEwing History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of McEwing

What does the name McEwing mean?

On the Scottish west coast, the McEwing family was born among the ancient Dalriadan clans. Their name comes from the personal name Ewen. The Gaelic form of the name was Mac Eoghainn.

Early Origins of the McEwing family

The surname McEwing 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 first found in the barony of Otter, on the shores of Loch Fyne. The eponymous ancestor of the Clan is reputed to be Eoghain na h-Oitrich, also known as 'Ewen of Otter', who lived at the beginning of the 12th century. Clear records of the Clan were found in 1219, when Gilpatrik Mac Ewen measured the borders of his lands in Kynblathmund.

Early History of the McEwing family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McEwing research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1174 and 1219 are included under the topic Early McEwing History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McEwing Spelling Variations

In various documents McEwing has been spelled Since medieval scribes still spelled according to sound, records from that era contain an enormous number of spelling variations. MacEwen, MacEwan, MacEwing, MacEuen, MacKewin, MacKewan, MacEòghainn (Gaelic) and many more.

Early Notables of the McEwing family

More information is included under the topic Early McEwing Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


McEwing migration to the United States +

Significant portions of the populations of both the United States and Canada are still made up of the ancestors of Dalriadan families. Some of those in Canada originally settled the United States, but went north as United Empire Loyalists in the American War of Independence. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the ancestors of many Scots on both sides of the border begin to recover their collective national heritage through Clan societies and highland games. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

McEwing Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Catherine McEwing, who landed in Wisconsin in 1844 1

McEwing migration to Australia +

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

McEwing Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Mcewing, (McEwan), Scottish labourer who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the "Bangalore" on 1st January 1850, arriving in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia 2

McEwing 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:

McEwing Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Isaac McEwing, aged 23, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duchess of Argyle" in 1842
  • Janet McEwing, aged 20, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duchess of Argyle" in 1842
  • Margaret McEwing, aged 8 mths., who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duchess of Argyle" in 1842


The McEwing 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: Reviresco
Motto Translation: I grow green


  1. 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)
  2. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/australasia


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