Surname MacLaren - Meaning and Origin
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MacLaren: What does the surname MacLaren mean?
The surname MacLaren is of Scottish origin and is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Labhruinn" which means "son of Labhran". The term "Labhran" is the Gaelic form of Lawrence. Thus, MacLaren can be interpreted as "Son of Lawrence". The MacLarens were first found in Argyllshire, where they held a family seat from early times and their first recorded ancestors were found on the islands of Tiree and Coll. The name was also linked to the ancient Celtic goddess of the fine arts, named Labrada and stylized as St. Lawrence in Christianity, showing the name's strong link to both Celtic mythology and Christian heritage. MacLaren, in its various forms (including McClaren, McLarin, and others), is common in Scotland and in areas to which Scots emigrated, such as Canada, the United States, and Australia.
Order DNA origin analysisMacLaren: Where does the name MacLaren come from?
The surname MacLaren is of Scottish origin and traces its roots back to the ancient Pictish tribes of Scotland. It is derived from the old Gaelic name "MacLabhruinn," which means "son of Labhran" or "son of Lawrence." The name was first found in Argyllshire region, and the Clan's most ancient territories were in the areas around the present village of Lochearnhead.
MacLaren is a sept or branch of the large and populous Clan Gregor, and they held a family seat in the central region of Scotland, in territories that straddle the present day border of Stirlingshire and Perthshire. They also owned the Castle of Balquhidder until 1490.
Today, the name is common across English-speaking countries, especially in Scotland, Canada, the United States, and Australia. The MacLarens and their descendants have been spread worldwide due to historical reasons, such as the Highland Clearances in Scotland in the 18th and 19th centuries which saw a mass migration of Scottish people to the New World.
Variations of the surname MacLaren
The surname MacLaren is of Scottish origin and has several variations and spellings due to regional accents, translation, and transcription errors over centuries. Variants of the name include McClaren, McLaren, MacLaron, McKlaren, Maclaryn among others. Some of these names are due to the Anglicized forms of the Gaelic MacLabhruinn, which means 'son of Labhran', a name meaning 'Laurence' in English.
The surname MacLaren and its variants are associated with two distinct clans in Scotland: The MacLarens in Balquhidder and McLaren from Aberdeenshire. Thus, there might be different spellings and pronunciations of the name in different regions of Scotland.
In addition, alternate surnames of the same origin as MacLaren are quite a few and some of them include: Lawrence, Laurens, Lawson, Lowerson, and Lowrance. In Ireland, MacLaren is sometimes used as a variant of the surname Lawrence too.
Names can also vary based on their phonetic transcription from the Gaelic language into English, thus creating several alternate spellings and pronunciations of the same surname. Therefore, tracing a person's lineage based solely on their surname can often be complex.
Famous people with the name MacLaren
- Gordon MacLaren: former Minister for Justice for Scotland
- Craig MacLaren: voice actor and audiobook narrator
- Ross MacLaren: founder of Greenpeace UK
- Finlay MacLaren: Scottish actor and radio producer
- Sam MacLaren: English actress
- Andy MacLaren: former British Member of Parliament
- Tom MacLaren: Scottish professional footballer
- Willie MacLaren: former British international speed skater and architect
- Mark MacLaren: former Australian rugby league player
- Euan MacLaren: Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist