MACKINNON
Recorded variant spellings include Mac Kinnon, Mackinnon
MacKinnon is a Scottish surname that originates from the Gaelic Mac Fhionghuin, meaning “son of Fingon” or, alternatively, “son of the fair‑born”. The surname is patronymic, indicating descent from a male ancestor named Fingon, and is therefore a direct link to an early Gaelic progenitor.
Historical records show that the first documented instance of the name was that of Lachlann Makfingane in 1409, when he witnessed a charter of Donald, Lord of the Isles during the reign of King James I of Scotland. Over the centuries the spelling evolved through forms such as MacFhionghuin, Macfingoun, M'Fynwyn, McKynnoun, and McKinin, before stabilising as MacKinnon or McKinnon in the 18th century. Early annals also record figures such as John M'Fynwyn, abbot of Iona circa 1490, and William Makfingoun, a reader at Paisley in 1560.
The surname is most closely associated with Clan MacKinnon, a Highland clan whose traditional seat was on the western side of the Scottish mainland and the Hebrides. The clan maintained close ties to the island of Iona, and members of the family served in ecclesiastical roles such as priors and abbots. A notable 18th‑century bearer of the name, Daniel MacKinnon (born 1781), was wounded at Waterloo in 1815 and later appointed Colonel of his regiment. In 1885 he was related to Sir William MacKinnon, the founder of the British East Africa Company.
In the 19th and 20th centuries the MacKinnon name spread beyond Scotland. Significant emigrant communities settled in Canada, especially in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, where Atlantic Canadians of Scottish descent are most likely to bear the surname. By 2018 more than 2,000 Canadians carried the MacKinnon name. In the United States the surname is most prevalent in the New England and New York areas, with over 6,500 individuals recorded in the same year. Despite these migrations, the surname remains common throughout the United Kingdom, with the highest concentration in Argyll and Bute and a widespread presence in the British Isles.
Variations of the spelling are numerous. The most frequently encountered modern forms are MacKinnon and McKinnon, but other variants include MacKinnen, MacKinon, MacKinnin, MacKinne, MacKinninne, MacKinn, and MacKinninne. Each of these reflects orthographic changes over time rather than distinct lineages. The surname is also occasionally confused with unrelated names such as McCannon, for which there is no documented evidence that it derives from Mac Kinn; the two surnames are distinct in etymology and historical record.
Bearers of the MacKinnon surname today retain a strong sense of their clan heritage. Many still use the clan badge and hold on to symbolic colours, and they participate in genealogical societies that preserve the clan’s history. The coat of arms associated with Clan MacKinnon features a quartered shield, a silver boar’s head on a green field, a triple–toured castle on a blue field, a black galley with furled sails, and a black cross‑crosslet fitchee, all superimposed on a hand with two outstretched fingers. This heraldic device underscores the clan’s historical identity and the enduring pride of its members worldwide.
Typical given names associated with the MacKinnon surname
Male
- Alan
- Alexander
- Andrew
- David
- Donald
- Iain
- Ian
- James
- John
- Neil
Female
- Alison
- Anne
- Catherine
- Catriona
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Fiona
- Helen
- Jane
- Margaret
- Mary
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 MacKinnon in...
Braille
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Morse
--.--.-.-.-..-.-.----.
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname MacKinnon are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Chocolate Hobnob.
There are approximately 6,617 people named MacKinnon in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,425th most common surname in Britain. Around 102 in a million people in Britain are named MacKinnon.
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 MacKinnon
- Bruce Mackinnon - Actor
- Gillies MacKinnon - Scottish screenwriter and film director
- Donald M. MacKinnon - Philosopher (1913 to 1994)
- Darian MacKinnon - Scottish football player
- Dave MacKinnon - Scottish football player
- Sir William Mackinnon, 1st Baronet - Baronet (1823 to 1893)
- Esme Mackinnon - Alpine skier (1913 to 1999)
- Gord MacKinnon - Canadian rugby union player
- Malcolm Mackinnon - Cricketer (1891 to 1975)
- Doris Mackinnon - Protozoologist & scholar (1883 to 1956)
- Billy MacKinnon - Scottish football player (1852 to 1942)
- Duncan Mackinnon - Rower (1887 to 1917)
- Donald James Mackinnon - -born Australian politician (1928 to 2017)
- William Alexander Mackinnon - Military doctor (1830 to 1897)
- Lauchlan Mackinnon - Australian pastoralist, politician and newspaper proprietor (1817 to 1888)
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.