Surname Cleland - Meaning and Origin

Cleland: What does the surname Cleland mean?

The surname Cleland is of Scottish origin, derived from a place-name in the county of Lanarkshire. The name comes from the Middle English words "cle" meaning clay and "land" meaning, quite literally, land. Therefore, the surname Cleland could potentially mean 'land characterized by clay'. Over time, Cleland has evolved and has several variants including Clelland, Clelande, and Clelond. As a name, it was first recorded in the late 12th century in Scotland. The Cleland family has a long history in Scotland and is associated with several historic events, the most prominent of which was their involvement in the Scottish Wars of Independence.

Cleland: Where does the name Cleland come from?

The last name 'Cleland' is of Scottish origin. It is derived from the lands of Cleland in the old barony of Mauldslie in Lanarkshire. The name itself refers to 'clay land', symbolizing the nature of the land in that area. It can be traced back to the 12th century, and the first record of the Cleland surname was found with William de Cleland, who witnessed a charter by James, the Steward of Scotland, between 1293 -1306.

Today, the last name Cleland is most common in the United States, followed by Australia and the United Kingdom. There is also a significant number of individuals with this surname in Canada and South Africa. Given its Scottish origin, Cleland is still a commonly observed name in Scotland. However, it is more prevalent in English-speaking countries due to the history of Scottish migration, especially during periods of economic hardship in Scotland in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Variations of the surname Cleland

The surname Cleland has seen several variations due to regional dialects, spelling errors, and even deliberate changes over the centuries. Some variants include Clelland, Cleelen, Clelend, Cleolan, Cleyland, and Clyland. There's also some similarity with Scottish surnames like Clellan, Clillan or Clilland.

This surname originates from the territorial term for the lands of Clelland in the parish of Shotts, Lanarkshire. Therefore, it's related to other territorial or topographic surnames from that region of Scotland, such as Scot, Brooks, Forrest, or Hill. Additionally, given the Norman influence in Scotland, surnames like de Clellan (related to Clelland) may also be considered of the same origin.

The shifting of letters and sounds in surnames is quite common as families migrate to different regions or countries, leading to various phonetic spellings, attempts to assimilate, or alterations to avoid discrimination. Therefore, some surnames may be distant cousins of 'Cleland' based on a shared geographic or linguistic origin but are now too different to be immediately recognized as such.

But, in essence, any tracing of surnames must be done with intensive, records-based genealogical research to accurately define family connections.

Famous people with the name Cleland

• Andrew Cleland: A physicist and leading nanoscientist whose research interests include atomically precise nanosystems.
• Shona Cleland: Professional cyclist who competed in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics.
• Robert Cleland: American author who wrote the book “Fern Life” with illustrations by his wife, Alice.
• Eric Cleland: Professional rally driver who has competed in the World Rally Championship.
• Duncan Cleland: Co-founder of Index Ventures, a venture capital firm based in London.
• William Cleland: A Scottish journalist who served in the Royal Navy during World War I.
• Bonnie Cleland: Actress and television presenter, best known for her role on the ABC sitcom, Home Improvement.
• Anna Cleland: A Scottish writer who wrote several novels throughout the 19th century.
• Anne Cleland: Professional photographer and documentary filmmaker.
• Nathan Cleland: A professional soccer player who has played for several teams in the US and Canada.

Other surnames

Clelan