McKown
A Scottish and Irish-style surname that likely began as a Mac- name meaning “son of Kown/Con,” though the exact source name is not certain.
The #9,177 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 86,873 Americans shares it.
Etymology
McKown is a surname of the Mac/Mc type, meaning “son of.” The second element is less certain: it is usually taken as a reduced or Anglicized form of a Gaelic personal name, perhaps related to names beginning with Con- or a similar sound. Because the historical forms are inconsistent, the exact original given name behind McKown is not firmly established.
History
The name appears in Scottish and Irish surname traditions and was carried into English-language records in a variety of spellings. In later centuries it became established in North America, where Mc- surnames were often standardized in different ways by clerks and immigrants themselves. The historical excerpt provided simply lists McKown among other Mc- surnames, which supports its recognition as an established surname but does not explain its deeper origin.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because McKown and McKeown can sound similar in some accents, the two surnames are sometimes confused in records, especially in older handwritten documents.
From the historical record
“McKiERNAN, McKim, McKinlay and McKinley, McKinnon, McKinsley, McKirdy, McKissock, Mc- Knight, McKoen, McKown, McLane and McLean, McLanigan, McLaren, McLarty, McLaughlin and McLouGHLiN, McLear, McLellan and McLelland, McLennan, McLeod, McLoud, McLernon, McLerty, McMacon, McMahan and McMahon ; McManaman, McMenaman…”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)