MACARTHUR
Recorded variant spellings include Mac Arthur, Macarthur
MacArthur is a surname of ancient Celtic provenance, rooted in the Gaelic expression Mac Artair or Mac Artuir, which translates literally as “son of Arthur”. The personal name Arthur itself derives from a Celtic root meaning “bear man” or “bear-like”, a term traditionally associated with strength and nobility.
The earliest extant record of the name is dated to the reign of King Robert the Bruce in about 1310. At that time the MacArtur clan held considerable land holdings in Lorne and Argyllshire, and were honoured with the hereditary keepership of the castle of Dunstaffnage. Their principal seat was the castle of Strachur, and they functioned as the hereditary pipers to the great MacDonald clan, the Lords of the Isles.
During the following century the MacArtur clan fell seriously in influence. After the death on a scaffold of chief John MacArthur, who had fallen into disgrace before King James I, the clan was stripped of many of its lands and royal patronage. Contemporary documents cite later bearers of the surname, such as Tarleto McArthir who witnessed a charter for the earl of Ross in 1440, and Dougall M’Airthour who served as sheriff of Argyll in 1595.
In the modern era the name once again achieved worldwide prominence through the military career of General Arthur MacArthur (1845–1912), who became the twelfth American to attain the rank of general of the army. He was the father of General Douglas MacArthur (1885–1952), a five‑star commander who played a decisive role in the Pacific theatre of the Second World War.
The surname spread beyond Scotland chiefly through emigration. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries many MacArturs settled in Ireland, particularly in Ulster, and later migrated to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. In the United Kingdom the name remains most common in Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland, where it is still associated with the ancient kingdom of Dalriada.
Variations of the name reflect historical shifts between Gaelic and English orthographies. Spelling differences such as McArthur, MacArther, MacArthor and McArdur are all understood to mean “son of Arthur”. In some records the prefix “Mac” or “Mc” was omitted, producing surnames such as Arthur or Arther. While these are now treated as distinct surnames, they share a common etymological heritage.
The clan’s heraldic motto, Fide et Opera, translates into English as “By Faith and Work”, encapsulating the values espoused by its members across the centuries.
Typical given names associated with the MacArthur surname
Male
- Alexander
- Andrew
- David
- Donald
- Ian
- James
- John
- Neil
- Paul
- Robert
- William
Female
- Anne
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Fiona
- Helen
- Jane
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Paula
- Samantha
- Sarah
- Susan
- Tracy
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname MacArthur in...
Braille
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Morse
--.--.-..-.-.-......-.-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 2,317 people named MacArthur in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,722nd most common surname in Britain. Around 36 in a million people in Britain are named MacArthur.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Scotland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named MacArthur
- Ellen MacArthur - Long-distance yachtswoman
- Douglas MacArthur - U.S. Army general of the army, field marshal of the Army of the Philippines (1880 to 1964)
- Elizabeth Macarthur - Australian pastoralist and merchant (1766 to 1850)
- Arthur MacArthur - Supreme Court Justice of DC Districct, Lt Governor and governor of Wisconsin (1815 to 1896)
- Edith MacArthur - Scottish actress (1926 to 2018)
- For the mistress of Douglas MacArthur - Operatic pop soprano singer
- Mary Macarthur - Labour organizer (1880 to 1921)
- William MacArthur - General (1884 to 1964)
- Norman MacArthur - Scottish shinty player
- Edward Macarthur - Army general (1789 to 1872)
- Mac MacArthur - Major League Baseball player (1862 to 1932)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.