MCKEOWN

McKeown is an Irish surname which traces its origin to the Gaelic name Mac Eoghain. The prefix Mac designates “son of”, so that the literal meaning is “son of Eoghan”. The personal name Eoghan derives from the ancient Celtic word for the yew tree, and is therefore often interpreted as “born of the yew tree” or, in a more symbolic sense, “well‑born”. This etymological background situates the surname firmly within the Celtic tradition of the British Isles, and places it within the Christian cultural milieu that developed in Ireland from the seventh century onward.

The earliest concrete reference to the name is found in the 1659 extracts of Petty’s Irish Census, where a Padraig MacOwen is recorded. This appears during the brief interregnum of Richard Cromwell, who held the title of Lord Protector in 1658–1659. From the earliest records the spelling of the name has been fluid, reflecting the translation of Gaelic phonetics into English orthography. Variants that appear in extant sources include MacKeown, MacKeon, MacEoin, MacEighin and O’Keown; modern scholars estimate that at least seventeen distinct spellings have been in circulation.

Historically the McKeown family was linked with several Irish provinces. In Ulster the surname is associated mainly with the counties of Tyrone and Derry, while in Connacht it appears in County Galway, particularly within the barony of Kiltartan. There an area known as Termon Brian Mac Owen is recorded for the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. In County Fermanagh the name was originally written O’Ceothain and is now rendered as O’Hone. In County Down the spelling MacKeon, formerly MacEoin, is recorded, whereas in County Sligo the form Mac Eoghain with the diminutive Eoghain – meaning “little Owen” – was used.

In the early modern period the surname became anglicised through a number of channels. The translation of the Gaelic pronunciation led to variants such as McEwen, McCune and McKewan, which can still be found in contemporary genealogical records. In some families the prefix O’ was adopted, rendering the name O’Keown or O’Keon, although the interchange between Mac and O’ is not generally recognised by modern onomastic studies.

The family’s heraldic device, recorded in contemporary armorial rolls, consists of a silver field bearing a red hand couped between a pair of black lions combatant. In the chief of the shield four red knights’ spurs are placed. This blazon provides a visual cue to the family’s historical status and territorial affiliations.

During the Plantation of Ulster in the seventeenth century, many bearers of the McKeown surname were relocated to lands in Northern Ireland, particularly the area now known as Ballymakeown near Belfast. This settlement remains a stronghold of the name in the twentieth century, alongside a smaller rural community named Keonbrook in County Leitrim, a place that preserves the original form MacKeon and its derivative in modern spelling.

Out of Ireland the name spread through the Irish diaspora. The great famine of the nineteenth century saw large numbers of McKeowns emigrate to the United States and Canada, while the exodus of Scots to North America also contributed to the overseas presence of the surname. Today McKeown is commonly encountered in Northern Ireland and Scotland, as well as in North America and other regions of the world, reflecting the long history of migration and cultural exchange that characterises many Irish surnames.

Typical given names associated with the McKeown surname

Male

• David
• James
• John
• Michael
• Patrick
• Paul
• Peter
• Robert
• Thomas
• William

Female

• Anne
• Catherine
• Christine
• Elizabeth
• Helen
• Julie
• Karen
• Kathleen
• Linda
• Margaret
• Mary
• Patricia
• Sarah

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 McKeown in...

Braille

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Morse

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Did you know?

According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname McKeown are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Caramel Wafer.

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 McKeown

• Les McKeown - Singer
• James McKeown - Football player
• Allan McKeown - Producer (1946 to 2013)
• Donal McKeown - Roman Catholic bishop
• Des McKeown - Scottish football player and manager
• Frank McKeown - Scottish football player
• Brendan McKeown - Cyclist
• Kevin McKeown - Scottish football player
• Craig McKeown - Scottish football player
• Jackie McKeown - Musician
• Pat McKeown - Cricketer
• Dean McKeown - Irish jockey
• Eoin McKeown - Football player
• Brian McKeown - Football player

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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