Surname MacNiven - Meaning and Origin
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MacNiven: What does the surname MacNiven mean?
The last name MacNiven has its roots in a territorial clan from Scotland. It is derived from the Gaelic Mac an Naoimhín, meaning “son of the little saint”. It can be traced back to the Picts and Celts, with the clan historicaly associated with Perthshire.
The MacNiven's were, as stated, a territorial family, holding many lands throughout the centuries. This has led them to being granted a number of titles, and one member was even Lord Lyon King of Arms in 1778. The clan also held the hereditary post of Hag of Dull, which entailed the responsibility of maintaining the order of the Knights of The Round Table.
The MacNiven's have also been featured in a wide variety of literature over the years. From the William MacNiven penned The Elegy of A George Millar, to Sir Walter Scott's Waverly series featuring the MacNiven sibilings. The MacNiven family crest, featuring a boar and a raven, has also been featured in Arthurian legend, appearing on the breastplate of the legendary King Arthur.
The MacNiven's of Scotland have played an integral role in both Scottish history and the development of clan culture. As such, the surname has become synonymous with strength, resilience, and a sense of duty to one's past and heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisMacNiven: Where does the name MacNiven come from?
The surname MacNiven is commonly found throughout Scotland and Northern Ireland today. It is believed to have originated in the Highlands region, where it is still found in many locations. It is also found in Australia and Canada, mainly due to Scottish and Irish immigrants who settled there. The surname may have also come to Scotland from Ireland, perhaps from the province of Ulster.
In Scotland, the surname can be found in many locations, including Argyll, Aberdeenshire, Angus, and Inverness shire. It is also found in the northern tip of the Isle of Skye, as well as in Orkney and Shetland Islands. In the city of Glasgow, the surname is also commonly found.
In Northern Ireland, the name is found mainly in the provinces of Ulster and Donegal. It is also found in the Republic of Ireland, particularly in the counties of Galway, Mayo, and Clare.
The surname MacNiven has also spread to the other parts of the world, such as the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, with emigrants from Scottish and Irish roots.
To sum up, the last name MacNiven can be found in many places today, particularly in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Australia, Canada, the United States, New Zealand, and South Africa. It is likely to have originated in the Highlands of Scotland, and spread to other localities due to population movements.
Variations of the surname MacNiven
The surname MacNiven is an anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic Mac an Fhiolain which means son of “Fhiolain” or “Fhiona”. It is primarily found in the Scottish Highlands.
Variants of the MacNiven surname include MacNevin, MacKnevin, MacKneven, McNiven, McNevin, McKniven and McKneven. In some instances, people have Anglicized the surname to variants such as Niven, Neville, Neville-Smith, Neve, Nevill and Nevins. Occasionally the surname is also spelled as MacNivene.
The MacNiven surname may originate from clans whose lineage is connected with Niall of the Nine Hostages who is seen as one of Ireland’s earliest settlers. The greatest concentration of MacNiven's is in the Argyll and Bute area of Scotland, particularly in the Islands of Islay and Jura.
The surname MacNiven is also found in the counties of Inverness-Shire, Perthshire, Glenallan and Ross and Cromarty. Some sources even suggest that the launch of the surname took place in Ireland when the Scotch-Irish immigrated there during the seventeenth century.
The popularity of the name MacNiven in Scotland is further signified by the existence of numerous structures and sites with the same name scattered throughout the region. These include the Old Parish Churches of the MacNiven Family of Kilmore and Kilbride in Inverness-shire, as well as the MacNiven mausoleum at Rothesay, the ancestral home of the Clan in the Isle of Bute.
Famous people with the name MacNiven
- Kevin MacNiven: Canadian singer/songwriter
- Rob MacNiven: actor and singer from London, Ontario, Canada
- Colin MacNiven: actor and stand-up comedian
- Mark MacNiven: Scottish actor
- Angus MacNiven: Scottish politician
- Vincent MacNiven: Scottish Entrepreneur
- Jennifer MacNiven: Canadian television producer
- Bill MacNiven: Scottish tennis coach
- Bill MacNiven Jr.: Canadian actor
- Sue MacNiven: Canadian journalist
- John MacNiven: Canadian playwright
- Andy MacNiven: Scottish historian
- Alan MacNiven: Scottish writer and journalist
- Bruce MacNiven: Canadian actor
- Alex MacNiven: Scottish writer
- Fraser MacNiven: Scottish ethnomusicologist
- Elspeth MacNiven: British academic
- Tommy MacNiven: Scottish television presenter
- Ian MacNiven: Scottish film director
- Graham MacNiven: Scottish poet and Novelist