MCCLEARY
Also recorded as Mc Cleary, Mccleary
McCleary
McCleary is a Scottish and Irish surname of Gaelic origin, derived from the Gaelic Mac Giolla Riabhaigh, meaning 'son of the henchman of grey'. The name has variations such as Cleary and O'Cleary.
The McCleary surname is primarily found in areas with historic Scottish and Irish ties, particularly in the counties of Donegal and Antrim in Ireland, and in the regions of Argyll and Clan Cleary in Scotland.
The name is commonly associated with individuals descended from henchmen or followers of a certain 'grey' individual, though the exact historical figure is not definitively known. The McCleary family crest features symbols associated with strength, loyalty, and kinship.
Throughout history, bearers of the McCleary name have been involved in various fields, including politics, military service, arts, and academia. The surname has spread globally, with McCleary families establishing communities in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
In contemporary times, the McCleary surname remains a proud symbol of heritage and legacy for many individuals of Scottish and Irish descent, reflecting the enduring links between these communities and their ancestral roots.
There are approximately 938 people named McCleary in the UK. That makes it roughly the 7,739th most common surname in Britain. Around 14 in a million people in Britain are named McCleary.
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
Typical given names associated with the surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- Brendan
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
- William
Female
- Anne
- Brenda
- Carol
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Jane
- Joanne
- Joyce
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sarah
- Sharon
- Susan
- Tracey
Similar and related surnames
- Mcclear
- Macalroy
- Macclear
- Maccleary
- Mackler
- Maclear
- Macleary
- Macleroy
- Mcalarey
- Mcalary
- Mcaleary
- Mcallery
- Mcalroy
- Mcchlery
- Mcclair
- Mcclaran
- Mcclard
- Mcclare
- Mcclaren
- Mcclarey
- Mcclarin
- Mcclarity
- Mcclarney
- Mcclaron
- Mcclarty
- Mcclary
- Mcclaughry
- Mcclaurin
- Mcclay
- Mcclea
- Mcclearn
- Mccleer
- Mccleery
- Mcclerry
- Mcclery
- Mcclorey
- Mcclorry
- Mcclory
- Mcclour
- Mcclure
- Mcclurey
- Mcglary
- Mcglory
- Mckalroy
- Mckelroy
- Mckler
- Mclair
- Mclarry
- Mclary
- Mclear
- Mclearie
- Mcleary
- Mclerie
- Mcleroy
- Mcllroy
- Mclory
- Mclroy
- Mockelroy
- Muckelroy
- Muckleroy
- McClurg
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.