Contents [hide]

McLennan History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

McLennan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The McLennan surname is an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Gille Fhinneain, a patronymic name created from a Gaelic personal name "Fionnán," from the Gaelic "fionn," meaning "white."

Early Origins of the McLennan family

The surname McLennan was first found in Ayrshire where their history vitally is enmeshed with that of the larger Logan Clan. The McLennan spelling of this name was first found in Druimdeurfait, in Ross-shire, where they were a branch of the Highland Logans, who lived along Loch Lochy. According to family lore, they descend from Gilliegorm, Chief of the northern Logans, who was killed battling the Clan Fraser. His pregnant wife taken captive by Lord Lovat. Her son, born humped back, was called Crotair MacGilliegorm, the "crooked-back son of Gilliegorm." Fearing future revenge on the Frasers by the boy, he was sent to a monastery at Beauly, where he became a monk. He was said to be an ardent follower of the Irish Saint Fhinan, and one of his children took the name Mac Gillie Fhinan, which eventually became MacLennan.

Early History of the McLennan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McLennan research. Another 247 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1204, 1296, 1329, 1555, 1606, 1609, 1746 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McLennan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McLennan Spelling Variations

A lack of rules and the tendency of scribes to spell according to the sound of the word plagued medieval spelling. Not surprisingly, an enormous number of spelling variations appeared. McLennan has been written MacLennan, MacLenan, McLennan, McLennen and many more.

Early Notables of the McLennan family

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

McLennan World Ranking

In the United States, the name McLennan is the 15,743^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in Australia, the name McLennan is ranked the 562^nd most popular surname with an estimated 6,820 people with that name. 2 And in New Zealand, the name McLennan is the 656^th popular surname with an estimated 1,087 people with that name. 3

Migration of the McLennan family to Ireland

Some of the McLennan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McLennan migration to the United States +

Many Scots crossed the Atlantic for North America hoping to escape poverty, as well as persecution. Much of their heritage was lost along the way and overtime. This century, however, Clan societies and highland games have allowed many ancestral Scots to recover their birthright. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name McLennan arrived in North America very early:

McLennan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Alexander McLennan, aged 40, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1775 4
Anne McLennan, aged 20, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1775 4
Marion McLennan, aged 18, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1775 4
Murdock McLennan, aged 10, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1775 4
John McLennan, who landed in New York in 1780 4

McLennan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Kenneth McLennan, who landed in Texas in 1850-1906 4

McLennan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McLennan Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

William McLennan, who landed in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1773
Mr. William McLennan U.E., (McLellan) who settled in St. Stephen, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 5

McLennan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Christian McLennan, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1801
Isobel McLennan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1801
Janet McLennan, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1801
Kate McLennan, aged 3, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1801
Murdo McLennan, aged 3, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1801
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McLennan migration to Australia +

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

McLennan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Ewan McLennan, aged 31, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Oregon" 6
Kenneth McLennan, aged 27, a shepherd, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Oregon" 6
Catherine McLennan, aged 28, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "John Bunyan" 7
John McLennan, aged 36, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "James Fernie" 8
Mary McLennan, aged 19, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Marion" 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McLennan 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:

McLennan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Donald McLennan, aged 19, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Oriental" in 1840
John McLennan, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Gazelle" in 1853 10
Mr. Murdo Mclennan, (b. 1816), aged 41, British shepherd travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Glentanner" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd October 1857 11
Mrs. Abigail Mclennan, (b. 1828), aged 29, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Glentanner" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd October 1857 11
Miss Mary Mclennan, (b. 1849), aged 8, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Glentanner" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd October 1857 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name McLennan (post 1700) +

Donald Roderick McLennan (1873-1944), American co-founder of the insurance brokerage firm Burroughs, Marsh & McLennan in 1905, later renamed Marsh & McLennan
General Kenneth McLennan, American (Canadian born) army General, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps (1979-1981)
John Ferguson McLennan (1827-1881), Scottish ethnologist and lawyer
Gordon McLennan (1924-2011), Scottish General Secretary of the Communist Party of Great Britain between 1975 and 1990
Daniel Morrison "Danny" McLennan (1925-2004), Scottish football player and coach
Ross McLennan, Australian drummer, best known as a member of Australian rock band The Predators
Margo McLennan (1938-2004), born Eileen Marguerite McMenemy, English actress, best known for her role in the Australian soap opera Prisoner
Sir John Cunningham McLennan KBE FRS FRSC (1867-1935), Canadian physicist, recipient of the Royal Society of Canada's Flavelle Medal in 1926
John McLennan (1821-1893), Canadian businessman and politician who represented Glengarry, Ontario in the Canadian House of Commons from 1879 to 1882
Jamie McLennan (b. 1971), Canadian former professional NHL ice hockey goaltender
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the McLennan family +

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. James Mclennan, British Leading Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 12

HMS Royal Oak

Alexander John McLennan (1914-1939), British Stoker 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 13

Victoria steamboat disaster

Mary A. McLennan, Canadian passenger who was killed in the Victoria steamboat disaster when the boat capsized in 1881

The McLennan 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: Hoc majorum virtus
Motto Translation: This is the valour of my ancestors.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
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)
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
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The barque OREGON, 521 tons - 1851 voyage to South Australia. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Oregon.htm
South Australian Register Wednesday 24th May 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) John Bunyan 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/johnbunyan1854.shtml
South Australian Register Friday 17th November 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) James Fernie 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/jamesfernie1854.shtml
South Australian Register Tuesday 12th December 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Marion 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/marion1854.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 3rd November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html