MCNABB
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Nabb, Mcnabb
McNabb is a surname of Gaelic and Scottish origin. It is first recorded in the British Isles and has been traditionally associated with the Christian clergy of the early medieval period.
The name is derived from the Gaelic phrase Mac an Aba, which translates literally as “son of the abbot”. Historically it was a patronymic surname indicating either the son of an abbot or a member of the family of an abbot. The element Mac meaning “son” and Aba meaning “abbot” are common in the surnames of the Highlands and Islands.
Early documentary evidence places the surname in the 14th century. The earliest recorded spelling is M'Nab, occurring in 1376 in the administrative records of the Earl of Douglas during the reign of King Robert the First. Subsequent references appear in the territorial annals of the 15th century and in the Nineteen Hundred County records of the 17th century.
In the 12th and 13th centuries the McNabb chiefs served as lay abbots of the monastery of Glen Dochart, a valley that meets Glen Lochay near Loch Tay in Scotland. In the early church hierarchy the abbot was typically a member of a predominant family of the local tribe or ‘tuath’, and the office was hereditary. During the reign of William the Lion (1165–1214) the abbot of Glen Dochart was regarded as an equal of the earls of Atholl and Monteath. Genealogical records from 1467 identify Gillafaelan as a founder of a 7th‑century monastery and an early chief of the family.
Other historical figures provide further insight into the surname’s prominence. A record of Robart Gynnab indicates he was a Scots prisoner of war in Colchester in 1396. Archibald McNabb served as a lieutenant in the 42nd Regiment of Foot and died in New York in 1767 during the American War of Independence. These entries show the dispersion of members of the clan beyond Scotland to England and the New World.
While the surname is primarily Scottish, it is also common in Ulster and has been widely dispersed throughout the United Kingdom, particularly in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. In Northern Ireland it is most frequently found in the counties of Antrim, Londonderry and Armagh; in Scotland it appears mainly in Aberdeenshire, Perthshire and Roxburghshire; in England it is concentrated in the north‑east and north‑west; and in Wales it is seen in the west and south‑west. In contemporary times there are an estimated 15 000 households in the British Isles bearing the name.
There exist several spelling variants, including McNab, MacNab, M'Nab, Mac an Aba, Macanaba and MacNaug an Aba. The surname is also linked to the larger clan MacDonald, one of the most influential Scottish clans, indicating a possible branch connection. Related surnames of similar etymology include McDonald, McLellan, McKenzie, MacGregor, McRae, McNeil and McBain, all deriving from the same Gaelic roots.
In addition to its Scottish heritage, the name has a significant presence in Ireland, particularly in Ulster, where it is understood to have been associated with the ancient clergy and the powerful O’Neill clan. Over time, the name has spread to the United States, Australia, New Zealand and other countries, maintaining a notable legacy among descendants of the original clans.
Typical given names associated with the McNabb surname
Male
- Christopher
- David
- George
- Ian
- James
- John
- Joseph
- Patrick
- Robert
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Alexandra
- Catherine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Frances
- Helen
- Jane
- Laura
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Patricia
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 McNabb in...
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There are approximately 663 people named McNabb in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around ten in a million people in Britain are named McNabb.
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 McNabb
- Ian McNabb - Musician
- Vincent McNabb - Irish scholar and Catholic priest in London (1868 to 1943)
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.