MCGLADE

McGlade is a surname of Gaelic origin which is predominantly recorded in Ireland. The name is a patronymic form, meaning it denotes descent from a particular ancestor or family chief.

In its original Gaelic form, the name was Mac Gláidh; the word Gláidh translates as “hero”, so the literal meaning of the surname is “son of the hero”. The association of this name with heroic qualities is recorded in historical accounts of the ancient Irish clan, which was situated in the province of Ulster. The clan’s members were noted for their bravery and martial prowess, a reputation that is reflected in the meaning of the personal name that gave rise to the surname.

Throughout the centuries the name has been recorded in a number of orthographic variants. The spellings MacLeod, MacCloud and MacGlade appear in historical documents in both Scotland and Ireland. Shortened forms such as McLeod, McCloud and McGlade are also found. The earliest known spelling of the family name is Gillandres MacLeod, dated to 1227 in the Acts of Parliament of Scotland during the reign of King Alexander XI.

According to early Gaelic records the name derives from the pre‑10th century form MacLeoid, meaning “son of Ljotr”. The personal name Ljotr is believed to have Norse‑Viking origins, coming from the element ljot-ulf, which translates as “ugly wolf”. Such combinations of Norse personal names with Gaelic patronymic prefixes were common in the medieval Irish and Scottish Isles.

The surname is linked, through its various spellings, to the well‑known clan of MacLeod, which itself is recorded as the lineal descendants of the erstwhile Lords of the Isle of Man. The clan adopted the Arms of Man in their coat of arms during the early eighteenth century. The heraldic description of the MacLeod arms is, in part, “Quarterly, first and fourth, blue a castle triple‑towered and embattled silver masoned black windows and porch red; second and third, red three legs in armour conjoined at the upper part of the thigh proper placed in triangle and garnished and spurred gold, the arms of the Isle of Man, all within a bordure embattled gold.”

Notable bearers of the name documented in the literature include Mary MacLeod, who lived from 1569 to 1674 and is described as the poetess of the Isles. Her poetry predominantly celebrated the Clan MacLeod. Another figure is John McLeod, who lived from 1777 to 1820. He served as a Royal Navy surgeon and author; his career was noted for its successes, such as the seizure of a French warship, and its controversies, including a later trial for piracy.

Typical given names associated with the McGlade surname

Male

• Brian
• Daniel
• David
• Gerard
• James
• John
• Michael
• Patrick
• Paul
• Peter
• Robert
• Thomas

Female

• Agnes
• Angela
• Ann
• Anne
• Catherine
• Clare
• Dympna
• Elizabeth
• Julie
• Margaret
• Maria
• Mary
• Patricia
• Susan

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 McGlade in...

Braille

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Semaphore

Surname type: From name of parent

Origin: Celtic

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: Ireland

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: Gaelic

Famous people named McGlade

• Jacqueline McGlade - Oceanographer

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.

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