McCowan
A Scottish surname that likely began as a Gaelic patronymic meaning “son of the smith” or possibly “son of Gille-Cowan.”
The #7,386 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 68,458 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This name is usually treated as a Gaelic surname beginning with Mac-, meaning “son of.” One traditional explanation links it to a word for “smith,” giving the sense “son of the smith.” Another historical interpretation connects it with a Gaelic personal name such as Gille-Cowan, rather than a simple occupational term. The exact root is not entirely secure, so the name is best treated as probably patronymic with some uncertainty in the second element.
History
The surname is found in Scottish and Ulster-Scots contexts, where many Mac- names were Anglicized in several spellings. Historical sources also record forms such as MacCowan, MacGowan, and related variants, reflecting inconsistent rendering of Gaelic sounds into English. In later usage, McCowan became the most familiar spelling in some families, especially in Scotland and diaspora communities.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older Gaelic spelling traditions could make the same surname appear in several quite different English forms, which is why McCowan and McGowan sometimes overlap in records.
From the historical record
“TTlAC COTTTOAin, triAC ConiJAiti, MacCowan, MacKone, Mac Koen. ttlAC CorhJAill, MacCole. triAC CotiAill, MacConnell. triAC CoriAill 615, MacConnell-”
— Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish names and surnames