MCLEARY
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Leary, Mcleary
The surname McLeary originates in the Gaelic-speaking peoples of the British Isles, with established attestations in both Scotland and Ireland. It is a patronymic form, the prefix Mac indicating “son of,” attached to a personal byname that reflects either a patron, a saint or an attribute.
In Scotland the name appears most directly as Mac Gille Riabhaich, meaning “servant of the brindled lad.” This byname was originally a nickname, probably referring to an ancestor with brindled hair or skin. The anglicised spelling McLeary emerged as the name spread beyond its original area of Loch Awe in Argyllshire.
In Ireland the surname is linked to the Gaelic Mac Giolla Iosa or Mac Giolla Arascaigh, translating respectively to “son of the devotee of Jesus” and “son of the devotee of the Arasgaigh.” A further line of the name derives from Mac Gille Fhaolain, meaning “son of the servant of St Fillan.” The saint was a 7th‑century Irish figure renowned for healing, and bearers of this form of the name were likely connected with churches or chapels dedicated to him.
The earliest extant record of a name in this line is that of Johan M'Cleri, dated 1376 in the Ancient Charters of the Earldom of Morton during the reign of King Robert XI of Scotland. Additional documented instances are: John Macclerich of Kilravock, Nairnshire in 1428; Conary O'Clery of County Galway, a contributor to the Annals of the Four Masters, in 1636; and the cleric John Clarke who served the Irish brigades in France in 1720. These references demonstrate that the surname, in one form or another, was present in both continental and ecclesiastical contexts for several centuries.
Throughout the 19th century emigration from Ireland to English‑speaking countries, particularly to the United States, saw a wide dispersal of the surname. Today it remains most common in the United States, especially in Pennsylvania, and has notable populations in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Variants that persist include McLeery, McCreary, McLeorie, McLerie and the shorter forms Clery, Cleary and Leray. The surname is relatively rare on the world stage, yet it continues to carry a distinct heritage rooted in the Celtic traditions of the British Isles.
Among contemporary bearers of the name are the footballer Marc McLeary and the artist Meghan McLeary, whose professional achievements illustrate the ongoing cultural presence of the surname in the modern era.
Typical given names associated with the McLeary surname
Male
- Andrew
- Clinton
- Daniel
- David
- Donald
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Robert
- Scott
- William
Female
- Angela
- Denise
- Diane
- Funmi
- Jacqueline
- Jean
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Rhonda
- Sandra
- Sarah
- Susan
- Teresa
Similar and related surnames
- Maccleary
- Mclear
- Macclear
- Maclear
- Maclearn
- Macleary
- Macleerie
- Mcalary
- Mcaleary
- Mcallery
- Mcclarey
- Mcclary
- Mcclear
- Mccleary
- Mccleery
- Mcclerry
- Mcclery
- Mcclorey
- Mcclory
- Mcclurey
- Mcglary
- Mclair
- Mclare
- Mclarin
- Mclarn
- Mclarrie
- Mclarry
- Mclary
- Mclaurie
- Mclaurin
- Mclearan
- Mclearen
- Mclearie
- Mclearn
- Mclearon
- Mcleer
- Mclerie
- Mcleroy
- Mclorie
- Mclory
- Macler
- Mcalarey
- Mcclair
- Mcclare
- Mcelory
- Mcglory
- Mckler
- Mclaffery
- Mclaird
- Mclardy
- Mclarty
- Mcleay
- Mcleran
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname McLeary in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 916 people named McLeary in the UK. That makes it roughly the 7,889th most common surname in Britain. Around 14 in a million people in Britain are named McLeary.
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 McLeary
- Jamie McLeary - Golfer
- Alan McLeary - 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.