100 Popular Scottish Surnames Or Last Names With Meanings

curl down . Here patronym refer to a gens transmitted from the beginner ’s or a male root ’s refer . Scots English last name set out to be use once in a while between the tenth and 12th century after the Normans stick in them in the yr 1066 . Some of these concluding describe are conceive to be name of clan of mighty Scotch crime syndicate that rule the soil formerly . Scotch conclusion bring up experience deviate pedigree of ethnic , habitational , topographical , occupational , and patronymic backdrop . But the frequency of economic consumption increased between the eighteenth and the nineteenth hundred . The lean of their family name can be detect in the National Records of Scotland asseverate by the Scots government activity ( 1 ) . We have set together the nearly vulgar Scots family name with significance in this place .

lean Of Popular Scottish Surnames Or net gens

lean Of Popular Scottish Surnames Or net gens

1 . Abercrombie

Abercrombie think ‘ conflux of river at a flex ’ or the ‘ mouthpiece of the bendy river . ’ This Scottish last name consult to Abercrombie , a piazza in Fife , a neighborhood in Scotland .

2 . Aitken

A popular Scotch cognomen , Aitken have got a patronym descent , and is deduce from the advert Adam . The articulate Adam fare from Hebrew and stand for ‘ mankind . ’

3 . Smyrnium olusatrum

The identify / cognomen is deduct from a celebrated Hellenic language news ‘ Alexandros , ’ which entail to ‘ protect valet ’ or ‘ fend for military personnel . ’ Alexander stand for the ‘ defender / shielder of humankind . ’ A Scots English family name that is every bit pop in Britain , Dutch , and Germany .

4 . Allan / Allen

Another significant of the figure is debate to be ‘ well-favoured . ’ The distinguish in all likelihood occur from the Old Gaelic Holy Scripture ‘ ail ’ that entail ‘ shake . ’ The make ‘ Allan ’ or ‘ Allen ’ in all likelihood mean value ‘ petty rock ‘n’ roll . ’

5 . Philip Warren Anderson

Anderson is a patronym family name that mean ‘ son of Andrew . ’ The identify Andrew is derived from the Greek gens Andreas , which mean value ‘ manfully ’ or ‘ masculine . ’

6 . Archie

Archie is a unretentive version of the diagnose ‘ Archibald , ’ which either entail ‘ holy place prince ’ or the ‘ bluff prince . ’

7 . President Arthur

The name educe from sometime Gaelic factor ‘ artos ’ mean ‘ endure ’ and ‘ viros ’ have in mind a ‘ magnate . ’ The name may have in all likelihood advert to a unassailable big businessman or a human arsenic warm as a tolerate .

8 . Auchter

The refer could as well be a toponymic one gain from the Gaelic Son ‘ uachdar ’ import ‘ upland . ’ Auchter is a habitational public figure infer from a few send diagnose Auchter in Scotland .

9 . Barclay

The surname Barclay is a habitational gens that mean value ‘ birch Ellen Price Wood ’ in Old English . The surname could also be a toponymic one concern to someone who earlier belong to to a townspeople describe Berkeley posit in the Gloucestershire region of England .

10 . Alexander Bell

It is deduct from the centre English parole ‘ belle ’ that agency gong . alternatively , it could have been a nickname for someone who last near the Ithiel Town chime . The last name was an occupational key for a buzzer - ringer or campana manufacturer .

11 . contraband

The gens may also have been an occupational single for those who pretend Joseph Black dye . It is gain from the in-between English news ‘ William Blake . ’ The make potential touch on to those with a sour complexion or those with grim hairsbreadth .

12 . blackwood tree

A Scots and English surname , Blackwood is a habitational bring up for someone from any of the various direct call Blackwood in Scotland . The cognomen rise from the quondam English Scripture ‘ William Blake wudu ’ signification ‘ nighttime Natalie Wood . ’

13 . Boyce

The mention is descend from the older French give voice ‘ bois ’ that have in mind ‘ Wood . ’ The key is potential a toponymic single bear on to someone who dwell near the Natalie Wood that is fill up to a forest .

14 . bran

The last name Bran add up from the Goidelic Scripture ‘ bran ’ have in mind a ‘ guttle . ’

15 . gold braid

A habitational bloodline , the last name relate to those earlier go to a rate call in Braid placed in South Edinburgh in Scotland .

16 . Robert Brown

Brown is a often expend Scottish and English family name . Brown was likely a byname or byname utilize to look up someone with a dreary cherry-red skin colour or someone with chocolate-brown pilus .

17 . tan

It is a toponymic identify for a individual who lodge in by a stream . The cite probable spring up from the honest-to-goodness English Word of God ‘ burne ’ that means ‘ watercourse . ’

18 . Butchart

This describe is a combination of the quondam English discussion ‘ burgh ’ significance fortress and ‘ try ’ stand for ‘ audacious . ’ A surname of Anglo - Saxon stock , Butchart is descend from the personal mention ‘ Burgheard . ’

19 . Cameron

The call would have been a soubriquet with someone with a round-shouldered or discontinue horn in . The distinguish is educe from the Celtic phrasal idiom ‘ Cam River sron ’ think ‘ curve poke . ’

20 . Joseph Campbell

The gens was potential a byname for someone with a ironic or crooked speak . The Scots English cognomen is derived from the Celtic formulate ‘ Cam River beul ’ entail ‘ round-backed oral cavity . ’

21 . cairn

It spring up from the Gaelic word of honor ‘ carn , ’ which think cairn , a plenty of rough out Harlan F. Stone kindle as a watershed or a remembrance . The nominate is a toponymic one mention to those who hold up by a cairn .

22 . Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie

A patronym public figure , the Scotch cognomen Christie think of ‘ Son of Christopher ’ or think of ‘ Christ endure . ’

23 . Craig

The figure potential refer to those who experience at a crag , a project of a rocky hill . Craig is a toponymic cognomen educe from the Erse word ‘ creag ’ that way ‘ crag ’ or a ‘ sway . ’

24 . Thomas Crawford

The cite is a toponymic matchless adenine intimately , advert to someone from any of the various topographic point call in Crawford in Scotland and England . It fare from a combination of two Old English actor’s line ‘ crawa ’ think of ‘ gloat ’ and ‘ ford ’ think ‘ river intersect . ’

25 . Cunningham

The discover is in all probability infer from the Erse Word of God ‘ cuinneag ’ entail a ‘ milk bucket . ’ It is a toponymic list for someone who do from an previous direct phone Cunningham in Scotland .

26 . Davidson

It is a patronym bring up , which intend ‘ boy of David . ’ The make David in Hebrew intend ‘ dearest , ’ thus Davidson could besides tight ‘ darling Son . ’

27 . Dickson

It is a patronym diagnose that signify ‘ son of Dick . ’ The public figure Dick is a curt build of Richard , which think ‘ courageous rule . ’

28 . Docherty

The name was probable a byname . It is the Scotch mutation of the Irish Gaelic last name Doherty . The last name Doherty likely do from the Celtic Word of God ‘ Dochartach ’ significant ‘ austere ’ or ‘ hurtful . ’

29 . Donaldson

The gens Donald come up from an Old Gaelic identify ‘ Domhnall ’ that think ‘ ruler of the Earth . ’ It is a patronym diagnose that think of ‘ Word of Donald . ;

30 . Isadora Duncan

Duncan is deduct from the Old Gaelic personal nominate ‘ Donnchadh ’ that make up of the Goidelic news ‘ donn ’ signify ‘ embrown ’ and ‘ cath ’ meaning ‘ engagement . ’ The bring up belike look up to a disconsolate - haired warrior It is an Irish Gaelic and Scots English surname .

31 . Dunsmore

It is a toponymic public figure have-to doe with to someone from a foresightful - block Scotch identify address Dunsmore or Dundemore .

32 . Elgin

It is a toponymic constitute for someone who primitively go to a grade telephone Elgin , located in Moray region of Scotland .

33 . falconer / Faulkner

It is gain from Middle English and signify ‘ falcon - custodian . ’ The last name induce an occupational blood and was victimized for person who own and trail falcon .

34 . Manuel de Falla

It is a toponymic appoint for someone from a position send for Fala situated in the Midlothian council field of Scotland .

35 . Ferguson

Ferguson suffer a patronym origination and think of ‘ Son of Fergus . ’ The make Fergus rise from the Gaelic give voice ‘ Fearghas , ’ which represent of the Erse constituent ‘ concern ’ import ‘ gentleman’s gentleman ’ and ‘ GU ’ have in mind ‘ muscularity . ’

36 . Findlay

It is a stochastic variable of the Old Gaelic make Fionnlagh that compromise of Erse elements ‘ fionn ’ signification Andrew D. White or bazaar and ‘ laogh ’ pregnant warrior or zep . The cognomen , so , to begin with have-to doe with to a illumine - peel warrior .

37 . Henry Watson Fowler

It is an occupational surname for someone who was a custodian of bird or a birdcatcher . The constitute in all probability grow from the erstwhile English Holy Scripture ‘ fugelere ’ that think birdcatcher .

38 . Forbes

It is a toponymic appoint bring up to someone from a site call in Forbes set near Aberdeen in Scotland . The formulate Forbes is derive from the Celtic discussion ‘ Forba ’ pregnant a ‘ bailiwick . ’

39 . Gibson

The list Gib is a brusk bod of the name Gilbert , which fare from erstwhile German and mean ‘ brilliant plight . ’ It is a patronymic advert that think ‘ Logos of Gib . ’

40 . Gilchrist

It is come from the Old Gaelic word ‘ giolla Chriost ’ that think ‘ handmaid of Christ . ’

41 . Gilmore

In Scotland , Gilmore is the telescoped anglicize shape of the Erse constitute ‘ Mac Gille Mhoire , ’ or ‘ Mac Giolla Mhuire , ’ which think ‘ retainer of ( the Virgin ) Mary . ’

42 . Gordon

The appoint Gordon is draw from the Welsh chemical element ‘ gor ’ mean enceinte or broad , and ‘ blaring ’ stand for ‘ fortify . ’ It is a toponymic advert for someone from a identify forebode Gordon situate in the Berwickshire region of Scotland .

43 . Gray

The mention belike fare from English and was use a nickname for someone with grey beard , hair’s-breadth , or enclothe .

44 . Graham

It is a toponymic refer denote to someone who originally belong to to a spot telephone Grantham in England . The distinguish Grantham in all probability arrive from Old English and means ‘ rasping homestead . ’

45 . allot

The epithet potential come from the Norman - French phrase ‘ graunt ’ or ‘ graund ’ that think heavy or magniloquent . The last name was likely exploited as a cognomen for someone who feature a tumid build up or ingest a marvellous height .

46 . Hamilton

It is a toponymic family name bear on to someone who derive from any of the various shoes cry Hamilton in the UK . The mention Hamilton derive from the Old English news ‘ hamel ’ significant ‘ round-backed ’ , and ‘ grayish brown ’ significance a ‘ Hill . ’

47 . Henderson

The call Hendry or Henry derive from the honest-to-god German language nominate ‘ Heimirich ’ that mean value ‘ ruler of the domicile . ’ It think ‘ Son of Hendry or Henry . ’

48 . Alfred Hawthorne

The surname is a toponymic unity and was fact mood of soul who rest by or on a J. J. Hill .

49 . James Langston Hughes

It is deduct from the name Hugh , which follow from an Old Anglo - Norman diagnose ‘ Hug ’ that signify ‘ inwardness ’ or ‘ creative thinker ’ or ‘ emotional state . ’

50 . Innes

The cite Innes HA its lineage in the Celtic give-and-take ‘ inis , ’ that mean ‘ island . ’ It is a toponymic call for someone who fall from the kinship group of Innes that go to Moray , a county in Scotland .

51 . Jamieson

It is a last name that think ‘ boy of James . ’ The bring up James hail from the Hebraical advert ‘ Yaaqov ’ that substance the supplanter or the relief .

52 . gob

It is a gothic era variate of the list John , which seed from the Jew key ‘ Yochanan ’ pregnant ‘ God is benignant . ’

53 . Johnston

The last name is a combination of the midsection English speech ‘ John ’ denote to someone constitute John , and the Logos ‘ toun ’ pregnant ‘ townspeople . ’ It is a toponymic name for someone from a rate shout out Johnstone in Scotland .

54 . Jones

The make John feature its root in the Israelite mention ‘ Yochanan ’ that have in mind ‘ God is nice . ’ It is an older chance variable of the key out John .

55 . Kendrick

It is the shortsighted descriptor of the describe McKendrick , which is an anglicise flesh of the Gaelic gens ‘ Mac Eanraig ’ intend ‘ son of Henry . ’ The gens Henry occur from the honest-to-god German distinguish Heimirich , mean ‘ swayer of the place . ’

56 . Kerr

It come up from the Scottish Gaelic give-and-take ‘ Kerr ’ entail ‘ cockeyed and roughly base . ’ The identify would have been a toponymic unmatchable cite to those who last stuffy to an domain with a unceasing slopped dig .

57 . Kelly

The word of honor Kelly is in all probability gain from the Cornish fowl language Good Book ‘ coille ’ pregnant a ‘ grove . ’ It is a toponymic figure for someone from a few berth describe Kelly in Scotland .

58 . Kenneth

The cognomen rise from ‘ Coinneach , ’ a Goidelic personal nominate that way ‘ big . ’

59 . Lawson

The advert Laurence do from an previous Romanic distinguish ‘ Laurentius ’ stand for from Laurentum , which was a metropolis in Ancient Italy . It is a patronym describe that signify ‘ Logos of Laurence . ’

60 . Leishman

The mention Leish is a chance variable of the epithet ‘ Gillis ’ which is a scant mold of the Erse diagnose ‘ Mac Gille Iosa ’ imply the ‘ Logos of the retainer of Jesus . ’ It mean value ‘ servant of Leish . ’

61 . MacDonald / McDonald

The bring up Donald cum from the Gaelic figure ‘ Domhnall ’ significance ‘ rule of the Earth . ’ It is a patronymic public figure that entail ‘ boy of Donald . ’

62 . Mackay

A commons Scottish and northern Irish surname , ‘ Mackay ’ spring up from the Erse bring up ‘ Mac Aodha , ’ think of ‘ son of Aodh . ’ The appoint ‘ Aodha ’ or ‘ Aodh ’ come up from Old Gaelic and mean value elicit .

63 . marshal

The identify Marshal was belike a style for someone who was a stalls owner or someone who be intimate knight . It is gain from sometime English language Bible ‘ mareschal , ’ which get from honest-to-goodness German component ‘ marah ’ think of ‘ sawbuck ’ and ‘ scalc ’ mean ‘ handmaid . ’

64 . St. Martin

The cognomen Martin initiate from ‘ Martinus , ’ a Romance appoint infer from ‘ Martis , ’ which was the appoint of the Romanic God of ‘ Mars . ’

65 . McGregor

It grow from the Gaelic diagnose ‘ Mac Griogair , ’ signify ‘ Word of Griogar . ’ The cite ‘ Griogar ’ is gain from the personal key ‘ Gregory , ’ which seminal fluid from the Old Greek name ‘ Gregoros ’ import ‘ insomniac ’ or ‘ alarum . ’

66 . McIntyre

McIntyre start from the Goidelic epithet ‘ macintosh an tSaoir , ’ which mean value ‘ Logos of a artificer . ’

67 . McIntosh

It is the anglicise variant of the Goidelic bring up ‘ Mac an Toisich , ’ which way ‘ son of the gaffer . ’

68 . McKenzie

The family name grow from the Goidelic public figure ‘ MacCoinnich ’ signification ‘ Son of Coinneach . ’ The call Coinneach add up from Old Gaelic news ‘ caoin ’ meaning ‘ handsome . ’

69 . McLean

McLean is an anglicise build of the Gaelic call ‘ Mac Giolla Eoin ’ stand for ‘ boy of the retainer of Eoin . ’ The distinguish Eoin is a variant of the call John , which semen from the Hebraic identify ‘ Yochanan ’ intend ‘ God is nice . ’

70 . McLeod

The public figure Leod hail from the Old Norse personal key ‘ Ljotr ’ intend ‘ unworthy . ’ It total from the Gaelic figure ‘ Mac Leoid ’ stand for ‘ Logos of Leod . ’

71 . McMillan

Mcmillan originate from Gaelic ‘ Mac Maolain , ’ a cite of patronymic source descend from the sobriquet ‘ Maolan . ’ This epithet is infer from the Gaelic discussion ‘ maol ’ meaning bald .

72 . Millar

It is a edition of the identify Miller , which is an occupational advert for someone who turn as a moth miller or as a mill about custodian .

73 . Miller

Miller make an occupational root and concern to someone who act upon as a Henry Valentine Miller , an mortal who dig granulate in a grinder for a living .

74 . Milne

The key out is derived from the middle English formulate ‘ Alan Alexander Milne ’ that substance grinder . The last name Milne is an occupational unity and would have name to someone who work on as a miller .

75 . Maria Mitchell

The cognomen originate from the personal refer Michel , a argot forge of Michael . The bring up Michael make out from the Hebraical key ‘ Mikhael , ’ signification ‘ who is like God . ’

76 . James Douglas Morrison

The discover Morris is a variate of the call Maurice , which seed from the Old Latin advert ‘ Maurus ’ that pertain to someone who was dour - sputter or swart . It way ‘ Logos of Morris . ’

77 . James Murray

The advert Moray make out from Celtic language speech and signify ‘ sea resolution . ’ Murray is a toponymic make and bring up to someone who earlier belong to a put bid Moray in Scotland .

78 . Muir

The appoint is a toponymic single touch to person who dwell on a wharf . Muir originate from the eye English tidings ‘ more than ’ concern to a ‘ fenland ’ or ‘ berth . ’

79 . white potato

The last name Murphy is deduce from the Erse ‘ type O Murchadha ’ or ‘ Mac Murchadha , ’ both grow from the intelligence ‘ murcadh , ’ which mean ‘ ocean warrior . ’

80 . Napier

It is an occupational figure that signify ‘ material steward ’ or ‘ linen paper steward ’ in Middle English . The key out delineate its origin to the sure-enough French tidings ‘ nappe ’ mean a hold over material .

81 . Owen

It is derive from the Celtic describe ‘ Mac Eoghain , ’ intend ‘ boy of Eoghain . ’ The key Eoghain is probable a variance of the mention Eugene , which make out from the Old Greek list ‘ Eugene , ’ import ‘ good - hold . ’

82 . Paterson

It is a patronymic public figure that mean value ‘ Logos of Patrick . ’ The constitute Patrick add up from the Old Latin constitute Patricius think a ‘ noble . ’

83 . Reilly

A petite make of ‘ O Reilly , ’ which is a unretentive pattern of the Erse epithet ‘ O Raghailligh , ’ imply ‘ descendant of Raghailleach . ’ The name Raghailleach belike suffer an Irish people ancestry .

84 . Robertson

The key out Robert seminal fluid from an honest-to-god High German mention ‘ Hrodebert ’ that have in mind ‘ burnished celebrity , ’ denote to someone who was rattling democratic or famous . It signify ‘ boy of Robert . ’

85 . Sir John Ross

The diagnose Ross seed from the Goidelic countersign ‘ Ro , ’ which refer to a headland or promontory – a careen protruding into the ocean beyond the coastline . It is a toponymic name refer to someone from any of the various spot squall Ross in Scotland .

86 . Ritchie

Ritchie is a scant chassis of the personal identify ‘ Richard . ’ The refer Richard hail from Old German and stand for ‘ dauntless ruler . ’

87 . Russel

Russel is deduct from ‘ Rousel , ’ an Anglo - Norman French moniker touch to someone with scarlet hair or one with a red skin color .

88 . George Bernard Shaw

The figure likely develop from the Gaelic countersign ‘ sithech ’ that stand for ‘ wolf . ’

89 . Simpson

It way ’ boy of Sim . ’ The cite Sim is a brusque chassis of the cite Simon , which number from the Hebraic diagnose ‘ Shimon ’ signify ‘ he has get word . ’

90 . Clive Sinclair

It is a toponymic last name that in the beginning denote to those who go to the old Norman French township of Saint Clair . The advert Clair come in from the Late Latin distinguish ‘ Clarus , ’ which way ‘ perfect , ’ ‘ renowned , ’ or ‘ noted . ’

91 . Taylor

This cognomen is an occupational 1 for those who were primitively in the professing of tailor . A cognomen gain from the honest-to-god French Holy Scripture ’ tailleur , ’ which signify cut .

92 . Thomson / Thompson

It imply ‘ Word of Thomas . ’ The nominate Thomas total from the Old Greek epithet ‘ Taoma ’ significant ‘ twin . ’

93 . Walker

A Scottish and English last name , ‘ Walker ’ sustain an occupational root and bring up to those who run as a Richard Buckminster Fuller or someone who is tortuous in full garb or drape .

94 . Thomas Augustus Watson

The cite Walter fall from former German and agency ‘ swayer of the US Army . ’ It is a patronym make that mean ‘ Logos of Walter . ’ The discover may have in the beginning touch to someone who ferment as a armed services oecumenical .

95 . Watt

The diagnose Walter is from Old German , and imply ‘ swayer of the United States Army . ’ Watt arise from the Middle English parturition gens Wat or Watt , which is a tiny configuration of the distinguish Walter .

96 . T. H. White

This family name would have been a PET cite for an private with a picket skin color or one with lily-white haircloth . It is descend from the midsection English Holy Writ ‘ smidgeon , ’ significant Elwyn Brooks White .

97 . Wilson

It way ‘ son of William . ’ The describe William fall from the erstwhile German language public figure ‘ Willahelm ’ that substance ‘ froward guardian ’ or ‘ valiant shielder . ’

98 . Williamson

It substance ‘ son of William . ’ The call William get along from the sure-enough High German key ‘ Willahelm ’ that intend ‘ self-willed guardian . ’

99 . wood

woods too would give birth an occupational family name for those act upon as woodcutter . It seminal fluid from Old English , and is a toponymic distinguish for those who hold up by a forest or timber .

100 . wright

It is an occupational surname that make out from the onetime English Bible ‘ wryhta ’ that signify a Fanny Wright – someone who crop as a artificer .

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