This is an anglicized form of the Olde Gaelic (Scots and Irish) Mac Miadhachain. The Gaelic prefix 'mac' means 'son of', plus the personal name Miadhachan, composed of 'Miadhaeh', honourable and the diminutive suffix 'a(i)n'. William McMeekan is recorded as bieng a christening witness at Timplepatrick, Co. Antrim, on March 20th 1815, whilst James McMeekan is recorded at Donaghadee, County Down on August 8th 1845, when he married Eliza Jane Irwin. In the 'modern' idiom the name has no less than fifteen spelling variations including MacMeekin(g), MacMeeken, MacMechan, MacMickan, MacMychem etc..
The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Gillecrist Mak Makin or M'Maykin, charter witness, which was dated circa 1185 - 'The Book of St. Mary of Melrose', Scotland, during the reign of King William, known as the Lion of Scotland, 1165 - 1214. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Discovering the historical roots of mcmakin is deeply interesting, as it takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who established this lineage.
Although surnames have a specific origin at a certain time and region of the planet, many of them have spread far and wide across the world for various reasons, as is the case with the surname mcmakin.
The historical chronicle of mcmakin is based on a striking series of events that were led by those who have carried this surname throughout history.
We suggest that if you want to learn more about the surname mcmakin, try to locate it through the bibliographic sources we suggest.
It's more than likely that there have been some distinguished mcmakins throughout human history. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname mcmakin who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.
Thanks to a significant bibliographic review, we have so far compiled information on the heraldry, history, and genealogy of mcmakin.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of mcmakin, and at the same time, of surnames in general.