MCKINNON
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Kinnon, Mckinnon
McKinnon is a surname of Gaelic origin that is chiefly associated with the Highlands of Scotland. It is a patronymic name derived from the Gaelic Mac Fhionghuin, meaning "son of the fair one" or "son of Fingon", a personal name in turn rooted in the Gaelic word fionn, which translates as "fair" or "white". The formation of the name follows the traditional Gaelic practice of using the prefix Mac to denote a male descendant.
The earliest definitive record of the family appears in 1409, when Lachlann Makfingane witnessed a charter of Donald, Lord of the Isles. This document indicates that the name was already established among the Gaelic nobility by the reign of King James I. Earlier, in the year 728 A.D., an ancient form of the name is associated with the Latinised term vindo-gonios, meaning "the fair born", suggesting a very early pedigree for the clan.
From the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries, individuals bearing the name appear in ecclesiastical and administrative records. A tombstone in the graveyard of Kirkapoll, Tiree, records a prior named Fingonivs in 1445, while John M'Fynwyn, abbot of Iona, is recorded around 1490. William Makfingoun is noted as a reader at Paisley in 1560, and William Makkynnane is listed as vicar of Dingwall in 1587. These entries demonstrate the widespread presence of the name within the religious and clerical classes of the time.
Spelling variations evolved over the centuries. In the early sixteenth century the name appeared as McKynnoun (1621) and McKinin (1680). It was not until the eighteenth century that the contemporary forms MacKinnon and McKinnon predominated. A notable bearer of the modern spelling is Daniel MacKinnon, born in 1781, who was wounded at Waterloo in 1815 and later appointed Colonel of his regiment in 1830. He was a relative of Sir William MacKinnon (1823–1893), founder of the British East Africa Company.
Geographically, the surname is most common in Scotland, particularly within the Highlands, the Outer Hebrides, and the Borders. In Ireland it appeared mainly in counties such as Dublin and Cork, reflecting early Scots‑Irish settlement. In the Canadian provinces the name is well represented, especially in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, where it ranks as one of the louder surnames in the maritime regions.
Variants of the name include MacKinnon, McKinnon, McKinnan, Mackenon, MacKinven, MacKinnen, MacKinnion, MacKino, MacKine, MacKineon, and MacKyne, among others. The differences are primarily orthographic and reflect the transition from Gaelic to English orthographic conventions over time.
The coat of arms associated with the clan features a quartered shield. The first quarter is a silver boar’s head on a green field; the second quarter contains a triple‑towered castle on a blue field; the third quarter depicts a black galley with sails furled; and the fourth quarter shows a black cross‑cross‑let fitchee. An overall motif is a hand with two fingers outstretched, placed fesswise. These symbols reflect the clan’s martial heritage and its maritime connections.
Typical given names associated with the McKinnon surname
Male
- Alexander
- Andrew
- David
- Donald
- Gordon
- Ian
- James
- John
- Robert
- William
Female
- Anne
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Fiona
- Jacqueline
- Janet
- Karen
- Laura
- Margaret
- Mary
- 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 McKinnon in...
Braille
⠍⠉⠅⠊⠝⠝⠕⠝
Morse
---.-.-.-..-.-.----.
Semaphore
There are approximately 4,826 people named McKinnon in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,954th most common surname in Britain. Around 74 in a million people in Britain are named McKinnon.
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 McKinnon
- Gary McKinnon - Suspected hacker
- Ray McKinnon - American actor
- Ray McKinnon - Scottish football player
- Steve McKinnon - Australian martial artist
- Rob McKinnon - Scottish football player
- Paul McKinnon - Football player
- Colin McKinnon - Football player
- Ross McKinnon - Scottish football player
- William McKinnon - Scottish football player (1859 to 1899)
- Bill McKinnon - Australian politician
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.