McCollum
A surname of Irish and Scottish Gaelic origin, most likely meaning “son of Colum” or “descendant of Colum.”
The #1,798 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 15,445 Americans shares it.
Etymology
McCollum is an anglicized Gaelic surname built from Mac, meaning “son,” plus a personal name related to Colum/Columba. The name is usually understood as “son of Colum,” with Colum ultimately tied to the Latin columba, “dove.” In some families it may reflect a shortened Gaelic form rather than the full saint’s name.
History
The surname is found in both Irish and Scottish naming traditions, and spellings vary widely in older records. 19th-century surname lists group McCollum with other Gaelic Mac- names, reflecting its use as an established Anglicized form in those communities. It also appears in modern records in Ulster, Scotland, and diaspora populations in North America.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The underlying name Colum is often linked to the dove, a bird that became an important Christian symbol through St. Columba.
From the historical record
“Colum. [McCollum]. Connol\an. [Connolly]. J [King]! 40. 342.”
— Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland