MACIAN, Macane, Macean, Mackain, Mackane: Gaelic MacIain, 'son of John.' John, not Donald, is the commonest forename in the Highlands. The Macians of Ardnamurchan are descended from Eoin Sprangach, son of Angus Mor, lord of the Isles, in beginning of fourteenth century. 'Several families of the name who have in recent times come to Coll from Ardnamurchan call themselves wrongly Johnstones' (Clan traditions, p. 27). Johnstone is (1) territorial from Johnstone in Dumfriesshire, and (2) John's town or S. John's town is an old name for Perth. Many others have translated their name as 'Johnson', as did the ancestors of Andrew Johnson, seventeenth president of the United States. The first record of the name is in 1296, in which year Sir Dovenald fitz Can (i.e. Donald MacIain) was one of an inquisition made at Berwick (Bain, II, p. 195), John Crom Mc kane, a witness in 1433 (HP., IV, p. 202). Andro Makayn was a sufferer from the first hership of Petty, 1502 (Rose, p. 176). McAan and McAyn 1519, McAne 1607, M'Cane 1538, M'Cayne 1580, M'Ean 1538, Mackane 1541, Makane 1494, Makcane 1515, Makcayne 1519, Makkane 1505, Makkean 1647, Mceane 1656, McMakkane (evidently a duplication of 'Mac') 1515; MacEoin, MacJeane, MakCoin. See Mackean.

MACKAIN, Mackane: Current forms of Macian, which see, the c of mac being repeated in pronunciation as in Mackay, Mackinlay, etc. Andrew M'Kaine (vcl M'Kame) was retoured heir of John M'Kaine de Barnall, 1601 (Retours, Bute, 11).