McCallum
A Scottish Gaelic surname meaning “son of Malcolm,” ultimately tied to St Columba’s name.
The #3,495 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 30,183 Americans shares it.
Etymology
McCallum is a Gaelic patronymic from Mac Caluim or MacCallum, meaning “son of Calum/Colum.” The personal name Calum is the Gaelic form of Columba, from Latin columba, “dove,” and in this context usually refers to St Columba. Older sources also connect the name closely with Malcolm, reflecting the way Gaelic forms and English spellings often overlapped.
History
The name is strongly associated with the Scottish Highlands, especially Argyllshire. Historical references place MacCallums among the families of Poltalloch and nearby areas, and the surname later spread more widely in Scotland and beyond. In later usage, McCallum and MacCallum became common Anglicized spellings of the same Gaelic family name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One 19th-century source specifically notes McCallum as especially concentrated in Argyllshire and Perthshire.
From the historical record
“British Seas. With 50 Illustrations by J, \OOK, R.A., HAMILTON MACCALLUM, COLIN HUNTER, &c. STEVENSON, R. L. Edinburgh. W ,h manv "^rations by T. HAMILTON CRAWFORD, R.S.A. (This voluir £ onlv t fc K }in this seri*s in leather, Ss. nett. For other editions of this bo . s£ ^> to b« had THE STAN! ^D LIBRARY Extra…”
— Family Names and their Story