Surname Mullican - Meaning and Origin
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Mullican: What does the surname Mullican mean?
The surname Mullican is of Irish Gaelic origin and is derived from the name Mac an Uallachain, or "son of the grief-stricken one". This indicates that the original bearer of the name was a person who had experienced some kind of sadness or loss. Although the meaning of the name is lost to history, it is possible that it could have been passed down through the generations as a symbol of resilience and strength.
The Mullican name is found throughout Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The earliest recorded mention of the name is the 1585 baptismal record of Peter Mullikin in Wexford, Ireland. The Mullican family was also a prominent settler family in colonial America, with the first recorded mention being in 1888 with John Mullican in Barbour County, Alabama.
Today, the Mullican name can be found all across the United States, from the East to the West Coast. The name can also be found in many different forms, such as Mullikin or Mullican. Regardless of the spelling, the underlying meaning still remains the same—an old Irish name of resilience and strength.
Order DNA origin analysisMullican: Where does the name Mullican come from?
The last name Mullican is most commonly found in the United States of America, primarily in the Appalachian region of the East Coast. It is especially concentrated in the state of Tennessee, where it was among the 15 most common surnames at the time of the 2020 census. The surname is also very commonly seen in the state of Kentucky, and it is well represented throughout the Appalachian region.
The origin of the Mullican name comes from the Old English personal name Molin, which means “mill worker”. The surname was likely adopted by those who worked and lived at a mill, and the Mullican variant came about as the name was anglicized by immigrants to the America.
Today, Mullican remains a common surname in the Appalachian region of the United States. It is quite common in the counties of eastern Tennessee, and it can also be found in areas of Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky. The number of the Mullican surname continued to grow steadily over the years, and it currently ranks as the 1531st most common name in the United States.
Variations of the surname Mullican
The surname Mullican is an Americanized form of the Irish surname O’Mulligan. It is also spelled as Mulligan or Mullikin.
Variations of the surname include Mullagain, Mallagen, Mulligen, Maltican, and Mulligin. These surnames were primarily found in the Eastern part of the United States but can also be encountered in other parts of the country.
The spelling of the surname Mullican can also be found in different variations, including Mullikin, Mulliken, Mullikens, Millican, Millikan, and Milliken. Mullican is the most popular version, probably because of its phonetic similarity with the Irish form.
Some other surnames derived from the same origin are Mullughin, Mullahin, and Mallaghin. These represent different spellings and descendents of the original Irish O’Mulligan surname.
Mulligans or Mullikins of Irish Catholic descent might trace their lineage to the Ui Niall clan in Ireland. This clan originated in the North Midlands of Ireland and dominated the region for around three centuries.
The surname Mullican is also an anglicized version of the Scottish family name MacMillan. The original Gaelic form of the name is Mac Maolan; this is softened to MacMillan in Scotland and changed to Mullican in the United States.
Famous people with the name Mullican
- Matt Mullican: American artist known for his work with video, performance, and installation.
- Carrigan Mullican: American singer-songwriter.
- Ken Mullican: American painter and sculptor.
- Mike Mullican: Retired Major League Baseball pitcher.
- Ray Mullican: American country music singer and songwriter.
- Mickey Mullican: American jockey.
- Willard Mullican: US football player in the 1950s.
- Dennis Mullican: American collegiate and professional football player.
- Crystal Mullican: American former basketball player.
- Steven Mullican: American theologian and former president of the University of the South.