MacMillan Surname

19,785th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 27,673 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
Canada
Highest density in:
Scotland

MacMillan Surname Definition:

Gaelic MacMhaolain or MacGhilleMhaoil, 'son of the bald or tonsured one. ' The -an is diminutive ending. Macna-maoile, 'son of baldness, ' is a side form of the name. Gillemor MacMolan was juror on inquest in Lanarkshire, 1263 (APS., I, p.

Read More About This Surname

MacMillan Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Canada8,9351:4,124549
United States8,1141:44,6715,473
Scotland3,6181:1,480264
England3,0021:18,5602,655
Australia1,7371:15,5422,202
New Zealand7481:6,0541,014
South Africa3621:149,66216,988
Malawi1571:109,03912,664
Jamaica1261:22,7771,897
Wales1221:25,3652,646
Northern Ireland801:23,0632,647
France691:962,648108,938
Italy421:1,456,11280,162
Malaysia381:776,16436,096
Netherlands331:511,73348,115
United Arab Emirates311:295,55719,854
Thailand311:2,278,656255,572
Ireland311:151,9016,891
Singapore301:183,5907,666
Spain271:1,731,55749,506
Zambia261:609,61224,798
Botswana171:128,64318,229
Nigeria151:11,809,517219,567
Tanzania151:3,529,44150,903
Brazil141:15,291,024280,658
Chile141:1,258,32022,898
China131:105,178,5825,529
Zimbabwe121:1,286,52073,455
Switzerland121:684,41046,196
Germany121:6,708,788223,026
Sweden111:895,16066,831
India101:76,706,538639,611
Argentina101:4,274,341152,056
Norway91:571,36544,190
Russia91:16,013,673414,297
Cayman Islands91:7,099820
Mexico71:17,732,31550,495
Venezuela71:4,314,86839,591
Panama61:652,04310,051
Antigua and Barbuda61:16,5281,436
Qatar61:393,00055,922
Kenya61:7,696,65052,907
Indonesia51:26,449,839597,308
Japan51:25,568,85950,629
Kuwait41:950,17418,811
Myanmar41:12,984,4961,309
Saudi Arabia41:7,713,95437,548
Israel41:2,139,40895,907
Egypt41:22,983,93862,368
Hong Kong41:1,833,8716,220
Belgium31:3,832,215117,288
South Korea31:17,080,0852,793
Denmark31:1,881,57267,227
Trinidad and Tobago31:454,65814,297
Taiwan31:7,814,91541,694
Bahamas21:195,8761,708
Afghanistan21:16,076,59243,178
Vietnam21:46,323,0275,235
Turkey21:38,910,711171,901
Philippines21:50,619,112341,003
Cyprus21:442,4389,493
Iceland21:190,0456,825
Ecuador21:7,952,92334,269
Uzbekistan11:30,929,14267,786
Gabon11:1,889,1946,814
Finland11:5,496,70284,025
Colombia11:47,774,07244,230
Ukraine11:45,522,696503,646
Austria11:8,515,435118,036
Uruguay11:3,431,75838,295
Ghana11:27,020,69223,742
DR Congo11:73,879,570260,543
Dominican Republic11:10,432,93236,508
Dominica11:75,891912
Czechia11:10,633,469206,023
Andorra11:83,8382,381
Costa Rica11:4,780,06913,345
Pakistan11:178,643,885213,220
Greece11:11,079,790145,225
Grenada11:108,5351,793
Guam11:160,1214,893
Hungary11:9,816,27773,288
Lesotho11:2,032,55823,402
Solomon Islands11:580,02922,243
Cameroon11:20,769,068227,406
Bermuda11:65,2793,010
Burundi11:9,804,8522,349
Saint Lucia11:178,7813,800
Malta11:430,2723,380
Monaco11:37,0664,748
Northern Mariana Islands11:54,5801,498
Peru11:31,784,12364,452
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland401:110,7476,785
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States311:1,619,95885,073

MacMillan (4,608) may also be a first name.

MacMillan Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

Gaelic MacMhaolain or MacGhilleMhaoil, 'son of the bald or tonsured one. ' The -an is diminutive ending. Macna-maoile, 'son of baldness, ' is a side form of the name. Gillemor MacMolan was juror on inquest in Lanarkshire, 1263 (APS., I, p. 102). John Macmulan (Makmilane, or Makmylan) appears as bailie of Glasgow 1454-55-68-87 (LCD., p. 178,180 252; REG., 368,476). Sir Duncan Macmolane, a Pope's knight, was chaplain of the collegiate church of Kilmone, 1452 (OPS., II, p. 71), and payment was made to "McMwlane the barbour for the leichcraft done be him to the litil boys of the chalmire," 1473 (ALHT., I, p. 68). In 1488 there is record of the "refe of certane gudis" from Walter Makmyllane and Mychel McMyllane (RSS., I, 1). Huchone Makgillemuil and others were arbitrators in a dispute anent me marches of the church lands of Croy, 1492 (Rose, p. 156) Gilbert M'Mulane held a tenement in Ayr, 1505 (Friars Ayr, p. 71), and in 1506 the following were tenants on lands in Kintyre: Duncan McMulan (Teyrargis), Lauchlan Makmulane (Glaknahall), Nigel Makmyllan (Coililongport) (ER., XII, p. 707-708). Cuthbert McMilane and John Makmullane, followers of the earl of Cassilis, were respited for murder, 1526 (RSS., I, 3386). Sir Fingon Makmulane was presented in 1540 to the chaplainry of Tibbermore in the diocese of Sodor (RSS., II, 3397), and Robert Makmyllen, burgess of Ayr, 1555 (Ayr, p. 101) is probably the Robert Makmyllane who rendered to Exchequer the accounts of the burgh in 1559 (ER., XIX, p. 88). The name is not uncommon in Galloway and several Macmillans in the parish of Carsfern were charged with being disorderly persons (i. e. non-conformists) in 1684 (RPC., 3. ser. IX, p. 574). Macillemhaoel, according to the Sleat historian, formed one of the council of Macdonald of the Isles at Finlaggan in Isla (HP, I, p. 24). The clan had possessions near Knap, Loch Suibne, and a boulder on the shore is said to have had engraved on it in Gaelic their claim or charter to the lands:

"Coir Mhic-Mhaoilein air a Chnap,

Fhad's a bhuaileas tonn air creig."

(Macmillan's right to Knap while wave strikes rock. )

If so "all vestige of it is worn away. This is believed to be not entirely owing to wind and weather but to the effacing chisels of Clan Campbell, who ere long acquired the lands of their hereditary foes" (Celt. Rev,, IV, p. 244). A bailie Macmillan of Partick, Glasgow, a few years ago 'patented' a tartan which he has registered as Breacanseilgmhicgillernheoill Makmillen 1644 McMolland 1606; in 1684 (Parish): McKmillan, McMilland, McMullan. MacMylan and MacMyllan 1745. In the Records of Inverness the name appears as McGillemeill, McGilleneill, McIlneyll, and McGillymoyll.Stolen from Fore bears

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

This well-known Scottish name is numerous in Ulster. It is also used as a synonym of Irish MacMullan. Mac Maoláin is the Gaelic form in both cases.

Supplement to Irish Families (1964) by Edward MacLysaght

Mac Maoláin The name of a Scottish clan which has become numerous in Ulster. It has been there used as a synonym of MacMullan. SIF 113

A Guide to Irish Names (1964) by Edward MacLysaght

“Son of Millan” (The Bald) in Gaelic.

South African Surnames (1965) by Eric Rosenthal

(Scottish) The son of the bald, or tonsured, one.

Dictionary of American Family Names (1956) by Elsdon Coles Smith

"The M'Millans are said to be Buchannans by descent, and to have changed their name upon account of slaughter." Nisbet.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

MacMillan Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name MacMillan Come From? nationality or country of origin

MacMillan (Marathi: मँकिमलन, Oriya: ମାକମିଲାନ) is found in Canada more than any other country or territory. It can be rendered as a variant:. Click here for further possible spellings of this surname.

How Common Is The Last Name MacMillan? popularity and diffusion

The last name MacMillan is the 19,785th most widespread surname globally It is held by around 1 in 263,345 people. MacMillan occurs predominantly in The Americas, where 62 percent of MacMillan live; 61 percent live in North America and 60 percent live in Anglo-North America. MacMillan is also the 101,114th most commonly occurring first name at a global level. It is borne by 4,608 people.

MacMillan is most frequent in Canada, where it is held by 8,935 people, or 1 in 4,124. In Canada it is most common in: Ontario, where 48 percent are found, British Columbia, where 13 percent are found and Nova Scotia, where 13 percent are found. Besides Canada MacMillan occurs in 91 countries. It is also common in The United States, where 29 percent are found and Scotland, where 13 percent are found.

MacMillan Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The incidence of MacMillan has changed over time. In The United States the number of people carrying the MacMillan surname expanded 26,174 percent between 1880 and 2014 and in Ireland it fell 22 percent between 1901 and 2014.

MacMillan Last Name Statistics demography

The religious adherence of those carrying the last name is predominantly Presbyterian (56%) in Ireland.

In The United States those bearing the MacMillan surname are 2.61% more likely to be registered with the Democratic Party than the national average, with 50.62% registered to vote for the party.

The amount MacMillan earn in different countries varies greatly. In Norway they earn 11.02% less than the national average, earning 307,958 kr per year; in South Africa they earn 50.28% more than the national average, earning R 357,132 per year; in United States they earn 14.52% more than the national average, earning $49,413 USD per year and in Canada they earn 4.4% more than the national average, earning $51,867 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

MacMillan Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
MacMillan in the Oriya language
ମାକମିଲାନmakamilana-
MacMillan in the Marathi language
मँकिमलनmamkimalana-

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MacMillan Reference & Research

MacMillan FamilyTree DNA Group - A group collating DNA test results for those who bear the surname, includes results of DNA tests and discussions.

MacMillan FamilyTree DNA Project - A description of a group researching the paternal lines of men who bear the surname with the help of DNA analysis.

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to MacMillan
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis