McClinton
A Scottish or Irish surname that likely developed as a spelling variant of MacLinton or related Mac- names, often pointing to a family line rather than a trade or place.
The #5,925 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 53,086 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The available source treats McClinton as a variant alongside MacAlindon, MacLinton, Lindon, and Linton, which suggests it arose from a Gaelic name that was later reshaped in English spelling. The first element Mac means “son of,” while the second element likely reflects a personal name or a place-name base such as Linton. Because the excerpt is fragmentary and comparative rather than a full headword entry, the exact original form is uncertain.
History
This surname appears to belong to the broad family of Mac-/Mc- names that were Anglicized in several overlapping spellings over time. In practice, McClinton may have been used interchangeably with MacLinton or similar forms in records where spelling was not fixed. The modern form is relatively uncommon in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The old source groups McClinton with several lookalike surnames, showing how one family name could split into multiple spellings in record-keeping before spelling became standardized.
From the historical record
“ITlAC 510IIA ^lonncAin, Mac Alindon, MacClinton, Mac Lindon, MacLinton, Lindon, Linton. rriAC 510IIA frionncos, Mac”
— Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish names and surnames