Surname MacKichan - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
MacKichan: What does the surname MacKichan mean?
The last name MacKichan is a Scottish surname derived from the Clan Mackie and is commonly found in the Scottish Highlands. Its literal translation is “son of Kichan” from the Gaelic “son of” prefix, Mac. The surname is derived from a nickname from the Middle Scottish, “kychan”, meaning a playful child, although there is also a possibility the nickname may have been derived from an occupational name, meaning “maker of handcarts”. The origins of the surname date back to early medieval Scotland when families began to adopt a system of hereditary surnames that identified their lineal descendants. Commonly, names were derived from the father’s Occupations given nicknames, regional location or from physical, ancestery or patronymic characteristics.
Today, the surname is still commonly found in the Scottish Highlands, as well as in North America, where it was most likely introduced by Scots-Irish settlers after the 16th Century. In North America, many variations of the last name have been passed down through generations, including MacKichan, McHichan, MacHighan and even MacMckichan.
The surname MacKichan is a proud reminder of one’s Scottish heritage and is a unique way to trace one’s family tree back to ancient Scotland.
Order DNA origin analysisMacKichan: Where does the name MacKichan come from?
The last name MacKichan is commonly found today in Scotland, Ireland, and other parts of the British Isles. The surname was first found in the Scottish Highlands, where the clan likely has its origins. Some of the earliest records of the name appear in 1296, in the documents of Alexander MacDonald of Largie’s succession. Historians have traced the evolution of the surname along with its accompanying clan to the South of Scotland. Other branches of the clan eventually appeared in England and Ireland.
Today, MacKichan is a fairly common surname in Scotland. It is estimated that over 8% of the Scottish population have the last name MacKichan. In Northern Ireland, the surname is mainly found amongst Ulster-Scots. It is also found in the United States, Australia, and Canada, where many emigrants of Scottish and Irish descent settled.
Variations on the surname, or spellings of MacKichan are also found. Alternative versions of the last name include Makkin, Mckachan, and Makkin. It is also sometimes seen as McHiken or Mhinken.
Overall, the last name MacKichan is mainly found in Scotland and other areas of the British Isles and among the descendants of Scottish or Irish immigrants elsewhere in the world.
Variations of the surname MacKichan
The surname MacKichan has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. One of the most common is MacKechan, a Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic MacEachain meaning “son of the Horse Lord” or “son of the Horse Driver.” Other common variants include MacKiechan, MacKechane, Mackicham, Mackichan, and Muckichan.
The surname MacKichan is also found in Irish records, most commonly as MacKeoghan or MacKeogh. These spellings arose due to the Anglicization of the Gaelic Mac Oidhche, meaning “son of the night” or “descendant of the dark one” – a reference to dark-haired ancestors.
Additionally, MacKichan is also found as MacBuchanan, another Scottish form of the same name. The surname is derived from “buitheachain” or “buitheuchan,” two Gaelic terms both related to the word “horse.”
MacKichan is also found as Meekechane in records from Ireland. This form arose due to a misunderstanding of the Gaelic “Mac Eachain,” which was misheard as “Mac Eecheine.”
In North America, the surname MacKichan is also found in Appalachian records as MacKieham. This spelling is derived from the English surname MacKie, which is an anglicization of the Gaelic Mac Aidhm, or “son of the fire.”
In short, the surname MacKichan has many variants and spellings, both in Scotland and in Ireland, as well as in North America. The surname is derived from Gaelic terms related to horses, as well as terms related to the night or fire.
Famous people with the name MacKichan
- Sally Phillips (MacKichan): Sally is a British writer, actress, and comedian best known for her role in the TV sitcom Miranda.
- Judith MacKichan: Judith is a British sculptor and installation artist, known for her witty and surreal pieces about gender, sexuality, and language.
- Hazel MacKichan: Hazel is a Scottish actress who has appeared in television shows like Bad Girls and other films such as The Descent and Swallows and Amazons.
- Ted MacKichan: Ted is a British music producer, sound engineer and composer who has worked on multiple albums and films.
- Victoria MacKichan: Victoria is a painter, sculptor and printmaker based in Scotland, her works often explore themes of identity and belonging.
- Campbell Scatliffe (MacKichan): Campbell is a British actor best known for his role as Kev in the Channel 4 drama Ackley Bridge.
- Stuart MacKichan: Stuart is a British director, cinematographer and editor who has created numerous short films, commercials and documentary projects.
- Caroline MacKichan: Caroline is a Canadian artist known for her abstract and figurativegroupings of ceramic figures and vibrant landscape paintings.
- Craig MacKichan: Craig is a Scottish author whose works have been published in the UK and US, and is best known for his crime fiction.
- Frida MacKichan: Frida is a Swedish actress who made her acting debut in the Netflix original series Quicksand and the film Vallergan.