If someone has a surname like mccallum, does that most likey mean that they are scotish?

Question

because i was born in South africa, but my surnames mccallum, does it mean i have a little scotish blood?

i know my ancestors came from other places like germany and holand, but im not sure if having a surnam like mccallum would mean i have a little scotishness in me haha

Answer 1

The surname McCallum is probably of Gaelic origin, but that does not necessarily mean that every person with that name is also of Gaelic origin.

Maccallum

This is a surname of Gaelic origins which is recorded in an astonishing number different spellings. In so far as there is a 'correct' one it is generally accepted to be MacColum, although no doubt holders of the spellings MacColum, MaCallam, MacColm, MacCollom, McCallum, McCollum, McColum, McColm, Colum, and many, many, others, may disagree. The original spelling was 'Mac Coluim' or 'Mac giolla Choluim' both of which have essentially the same meaning of the 'descendant of Coluim'. The famous Irish etymologist Woulfe claimed that the name derived from 'colum' meaning 'dove', and gave examples such as Mac giolla Choluim, MacGillacolm, and MacElholm, all forms recorded before circa 1550, and now totally obsolete. In so far as the modern names forms have an epi-centre it is probably County Longford, although as MacColum it is generally regarded as an Ulster surname, and as such was recorded there in Petty's census of 1659. 'Nickname surnames' were quite common in Ireland, therefore the surname may derive from 'dove', but in a transferred sense as in 'a man of peace', a prophet . Early examples of the surname recording include Alexander McCollum who married Alice Warren at St Munchin's Church, Limerick, on May 4th 1760, and Catharine McCullum christened at Clones, County Monaghan, on May 1st 1797. England has its fair share of recordings (and its own varieties) and these include Sarah MacCollam christened at St Dunstans Church, Stepney, on June 26th 1689, James M'Colm at St Giles Church, Cripplegate, on December 16th 1750, and Agnes McColm, who married Robert Sheather at St Mary le Bone, Marylebone, London, on February 28th 1886. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Mac Gil Colum, which was dated 1179, recorded as the Prior of Ardstraw, County Tyrone, during the reign of King Henry 11 of England, known as 'The church builder', 1154 - 1189.

Answer 2

Yep you definately have some scottish blood somewhere down the line.

Here's the meaning/history of your name:

Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Coluim ‘son of Colum’, a personal name derived from Latin columba ‘dove’ (now often found as Calum). This was the name of the 6th-century missionary known in English as St. Columba (521–97), who converted the Picts to Christianity and founded an influential monastery on the island of Iona.

Answer 3

means that some of your ancestors might be Scottish.

Answer 4

Mc normally indicates a Irish ancsetry whereas Mac indicates Scottish. It gets confusing due to the constant cross migration between Scotland and Ireland that has gone on for ever. See the Kingdom Of Dalriada. circa 500-560 AD, The Wars of Robert the Bruce where he tried to install his brother as King of The Irish, and lastly the mass migration from Ireland to Scotland post potato famine 1850's.

Answer 5

most likely but not necessarily.  

for example in Canada and the US, immigrants were often renamed by the port authority when they were being registered as they entered the countries.  Names were shortened or names that sounded like another name were changed.  

Two cases I know of:  a friend of mine--her ancestors were from France and their name was "Cluney" but when they entered at Ellis Island in NY, they were checked in by an Irish guard who wrote their name as "Clooney" and were settled into an Irish neighborhood.  So this is how her French ancestors became Irish.

My aunt married a Jewish man whose family came from Russia and entered the US by way of Canada.  When they were being registered in Canada the guard had a hard time pronouncing their name and finally said "oh you're Jewish, then your name is ______."  This was the name of a prominant Jewish family who was living in Canada at that time--the name sounded nothing like their orginal name and it's how they wound up with the name the family has had for the last 150 years.

Answer 6

or irish (mac, mc pronounced 'muc' etc)

a lot of people around the world have such names - esp. afro-carribeans - not only did they marry scottish merchants etc - but they also took the surnames of their landowners as a form of identity.

so, your name could have been passed down, or 'adopted' - interesting insn't it :-)

Answer 7

About 300 or so years ago some Scots moved to Ireland, so your heritage may have come through there.

Answer 8

surnames with a big c are scottish surnames with a small c are Irish surnames McCallum is both it's a irish surmame and a scottish surname the scottish spelling is MacCallum

check out this website

http://www.houseofnames.com/xq/asp.fc/qx...

and this website below

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 9

maybe google it??? it sounds scottish.

Answer 10

its a scots surname on your fathers side