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Scottish Last Names

Browse Scottish last names from MacDonald and Campbell to Lowland names like Brown and Paterson, each shown with its meaning, plus notes on clans, regions and old spellings.

300 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

  • Abercrombie

    Habitational name from Fife, mouth of the crooked stream

  • Abernethy

    Habitational name from Abernethy in Perthshire, mouth of the Nethy

  • Adair

    Scottish form of Edgar, meaning rich spear

  • Adamson

    Son of Adam, meaning earth or man

  • Aitken

    Scots diminutive of Adam, earth or man

  • Alexander

    From Greek personal name, defender of men

  • Allan

    From Gaelic or Breton personal name Alan, possibly little rock

  • Anderson

    Son of Andrew, patron saint of Scotland

  • Angus

    From Gaelic Aonghus, meaning one choice

  • Arbuthnot

    Habitational name from Kincardineshire, mouth of the Buthnot stream

  • Armstrong

    Border clan nickname for a strong-armed man

  • Auchterlonie

    Habitational name from Angus, upper marshland

  • Auld

    Nickname for an old man, Scots auld

B

  • Baird

    From Gaelic bàrd, meaning poet or bard

  • Balfour

    Habitational name from Fife, village of pasture

  • Bannerman

    Occupational name for a standard bearer

  • Beattie

    Diminutive of Bartholomew, Border clan name

  • Bell

    From the bell, a house sign or bell ringer

  • Bethune

    Norman origin, from Béthune in Artois

  • Bisset

    Norman nickname from bis, dark grey

  • Black

    Nickname for someone with dark hair or complexion

  • Blair

    Habitational name from Gaelic blàr, meaning plain or field

  • Borthwick

    Habitational name from Roxburghshire, home farm

  • Bowie

    From Gaelic buidhe, yellow or fair haired

  • Boyd

    From Gaelic buidhe, meaning yellow haired, or from Bute

  • Brechin

    Habitational name from the town of Brechin in Angus

  • Brodie

    Habitational name from Moray, possibly ditch or muddy place

  • Brownlee

    Habitational name meaning brown clearing

  • Bruce

    Norman origin, from Brix in Normandy, royal house

  • Buchan

    Regional name from the district of Buchan, Aberdeenshire

  • Buchanan

    Habitational name from Stirlingshire, house of the canon

  • Burns

    Dweller by a burn or stream

C

  • Cairns

    Dweller by a heap of stones or cairn

  • Calder

    Habitational name meaning hard or violent water

  • Cameron

    From Gaelic cam sròn, meaning crooked nose

  • Campbell

    From Gaelic cam beul, meaning crooked mouth

  • Cargill

    Habitational name from Perthshire, possibly fort by a wood

  • Carmichael

    Habitational name from Lanarkshire, fort of Michael

  • Carnegie

    Habitational name from Angus, fort at the gap

  • Chalmers

    Scots form of Chambers, a chamberlain

  • Cheyne

    Norman origin, from Old French chêne, oak

  • Chisholm

    Habitational name from Roxburghshire, water meadow for cheese

  • Christie

    Diminutive of Christian or Christopher

  • Christison

    Son of Christian, follower of Christ

  • Clyde

    From the River Clyde, possibly the cleansing one

  • Cochrane

    Habitational name from Renfrewshire, possibly red brook

  • Colquhoun

    Habitational name from Dunbartonshire, possibly narrow nook

  • Comrie

    Habitational name from Perthshire, confluence of rivers

  • Coutts

    Habitational name from Cults in Aberdeenshire

  • Cowan

    From Gaelic Mac Eoghainn, or a mason or cave dweller

  • Craig

    Dweller by a crag or rocky hill

  • Cranston

    Habitational name from Midlothian, crane farm

  • Crawford

    Habitational name from Lanarkshire, crow ford

  • Crerar

    Occupational name from Gaelic criathrar, sifter

  • Crichton

    Habitational name from Midlothian, border settlement

  • Cromarty

    Habitational name from the Black Isle, crooked bay

  • Cruickshank

    Nickname for a bow legged man

  • Cumming

    Norman origin, from Comines in Flanders

  • Cunningham

    Habitational name from Ayrshire district of Cunninghame

  • Currie

    Habitational name from Gaelic currach, wet plain

  • Cuthbertson

    Son of Cuthbert, famous and bright

D

  • Dalgarno

    Habitational name from Dalgarnock in Dumfriesshire

  • Dalgleish

    Habitational name from Selkirkshire, green field

  • Dallas

    Habitational name from Moray, meadow dwelling

  • Dalrymple

    Habitational name from Ayrshire, field of the crooked pool

  • Dalziel

    Habitational name from Lanarkshire, white field

  • Davidson

    Son of David, beloved, a Highland clan

  • Deans

    Dweller in a valley, or servant of the dean

  • Denholm

    Habitational name from Roxburghshire, valley island

  • Dewar

    Occupational name for a keeper of a saint's relic

  • Dickson

    Son of Dick, a pet form of Richard

  • Docherty

    From Gaelic Ó Dochartaigh, descendant of the hurtful one

  • Dougall

    From Gaelic Dubhghall, dark stranger

  • Douglas

    From Gaelic dubh glas, meaning dark stream

  • Dow

    From Gaelic dubh, dark, or a pet form of David

  • Drummond

    Habitational name from Drymen, Stirlingshire, ridge

  • Duff

    From Gaelic dubh, meaning dark or black

  • Dunbar

    Habitational name from East Lothian, summit fort

  • Duncan

    From Gaelic Donnchadh, meaning brown warrior

  • Dundas

    Habitational name from West Lothian, south fort

  • Dunlop

    Habitational name from Ayrshire, muddy hill

  • Dunnett

    Habitational name from Dunnet in Caithness

E

  • Eadie

    Scots diminutive of Adam

  • Edmonstone

    Habitational name from Midlothian, Edmund's settlement

  • Elliot

    Border clan name, possibly from Old English Elwald

  • Elphinstone

    Habitational name from East Lothian, Elphin's settlement

  • Erskine

    Habitational name from Renfrewshire, green rising ground

  • Ewing

    From Gaelic Eòghann, possibly born of the yew

F

  • Fairbairn

    Nickname meaning beautiful child

  • Fairlie

    Habitational name from Ayrshire, fair meadow

  • Farquhar

    From Gaelic Fearchar, meaning very dear one

  • Fenton

    Habitational name meaning marsh settlement

  • Ferguson

    Son of Fergus, meaning man of vigour

  • Fife

    Regional name from the kingdom of Fife

  • Findlater

    Habitational name from Banffshire, white slope

  • Findlay

    From Gaelic Fionnlagh, meaning fair warrior

  • Fleming

    Ethnic name for a settler from Flanders

  • Forbes

    Habitational name from Aberdeenshire, field or district

  • Forsyth

    Possibly from Gaelic Fearsithe, man of peace, or a place name

  • Fotheringham

    Habitational name from Angus, after Fotheringhay

  • Fraser

    Norman origin, possibly from strawberry, fraise

  • Fyfe

    Regional name from Fife, Scots spelling

G

  • Galbraith

    From Gaelic gall Breathnach, foreign Briton

  • Geddes

    Habitational name from Nairn, or from a pike fish

  • Gemmell

    From Old Norse gamall, meaning old

  • Gilchrist

    From Gaelic Gille Chriosd, servant of Christ

  • Gillespie

    From Gaelic Gille Easbuig, servant of the bishop

  • Gillies

    From Gaelic Gille Iosa, servant of Jesus

  • Gilmour

    From Gaelic Gille Moire, servant of the Virgin Mary

  • Glen

    Dweller in a narrow valley, Gaelic gleann

  • Gordon

    Habitational name from Berwickshire, spacious fort

  • Gourlay

    Habitational name of uncertain origin, possibly Norman

  • Gow

    From Gaelic gobha, meaning smith

  • Graham

    From Grantham in Lincolnshire, gravelly homestead

  • Grant

    From Norman French graund, meaning tall or large

  • Grierson

    Son of Grier, a Scots form of Gregory

  • Grieve

    Occupational name for a farm manager or steward

  • Gunn

    From Old Norse personal name Gunnr, meaning battle

  • Guthrie

    Habitational name from Angus, windy place

H

  • Haig

    Norman origin, from Old Norse hagi, enclosure

  • Haldane

    From Old Norse Halfdan, meaning half Dane

  • Halliday

    Nickname for someone born on a holy day

  • Hamilton

    Habitational name from Hameldune in Leicestershire

  • Hay

    Norman origin, from La Haye, meaning hedge

  • Henderson

    Son of Henry, meaning home ruler

  • Hendry

    Scots form of Henry, home ruler

  • Hepburn

    Habitational name from Northumberland, high burial mound

  • Herd

    Occupational name for a herdsman

  • Heriot

    Habitational name from Midlothian, from Old English war gear

  • Hislop

    Habitational name from a hazel valley, Borders

  • Hogg

    Occupational name for a swineherd or a young sheep

  • Hosie

    Possibly from Old French, of uncertain origin, Aberdeenshire

  • Hume

    Habitational name from Berwickshire, hill or hollow

  • Hunter

    Occupational name for a hunter

  • Hutchison

    Son of Hutchin, a diminutive of Hugh

I

  • Imrie

    From a Scots form of Emery, brave power

  • Inglis

    Ethnic name meaning Englishman

  • Innes

    Habitational name from Moray, island or river meadow

  • Irvine

    Habitational name from Ayrshire, green river

J

  • Jack

    From the medieval personal name Jack, a pet form of John

  • Jamieson

    Son of Jamie, Scottish pet form of James

  • Jardine

    Norman origin, from Old French jardin, garden

  • Johnston

    Habitational name from Dumfriesshire, John's settlement

K

  • Keith

    Habitational name from East Lothian, possibly wood

  • Kelso

    Habitational name from Roxburghshire, chalk hill

  • Kerr

    From Old Norse kjarr, meaning marshy brushwood

  • Kidd

    Nickname from a young goat, for a frisky person

  • Kilgour

    Habitational name from Fife, goat wood

  • Kininmonth

    Habitational name from Fife, head of the hill

  • Kinloch

    Habitational name meaning head of the loch

  • Kinnaird

    Habitational name from Perthshire, high headland

  • Kinnear

    Habitational name from Fife, head of the west

  • Kinross

    Habitational name meaning head of the promontory

  • Kirkcaldy

    Habitational name from the Fife town, fort of the hard place

  • Kirkpatrick

    Habitational name meaning church of Saint Patrick

  • Kirkwood

    Dweller by the church wood

L

  • Laing

    Scots form of Long, nickname for a tall man

  • Lamont

    From Old Norse lögmaðr, meaning lawman

  • Lauder

    Habitational name from Berwickshire, from the Leader Water

  • Learmonth

    Habitational name from Berwickshire

  • Leckie

    Habitational name from Stirlingshire, flagstone place

  • Leitch

    Occupational name for a physician, Scots form of Leech

  • Lennox

    Habitational name from Dunbartonshire, place of elms

  • Leslie

    Habitational name from Aberdeenshire, possibly garden of hollies

  • Lindsay

    Habitational name from Lindsey in Lincolnshire

  • Lithgow

    Habitational name from Linlithgow, lake in the damp hollow

  • Livingstone

    Habitational name from West Lothian, Leving's settlement

  • Lockhart

    From Germanic personal name Locard, or a lock keeper

  • Logan

    Habitational name from Gaelic lagan, little hollow

  • Lorimer

    Occupational name for a maker of bits and spurs

  • Lumsden

    Habitational name from Berwickshire, Lumm's valley

  • Lyall

    From Old Norse personal name Liulfr

  • Lyle

    From Norman French de l'isle, of the island

  • Lyon

    Norman origin, from the city of Lyon, or the lion

M

  • MacAlister

    Son of Alasdair, Gaelic form of Alexander

  • MacArthur

    Son of Arthur, possibly meaning bear

  • MacAulay

    Son of Amhalghaidh, or Norse Olaf, ancestor's relic

  • MacBain

    From Gaelic Mac Beathain, son of Beathan, life

  • MacBeth

    From Gaelic Mac Beatha, son of life

  • MacCallum

    From Gaelic Mac Coluim, son of Columba, the dove

  • MacDonald

    Son of Donald, meaning world ruler

  • MacDougall

    Son of Dougal, the dark stranger

  • MacDuff

    From Gaelic Mac Dhuibh, son of the dark one

  • MacEwan

    Son of Ewan, born of the yew

  • MacFadyen

    From Gaelic Mac Phaidein, son of little Patrick

  • MacFarlane

    Son of Parlan, Gaelic form of Bartholomew

  • MacGill

    From Gaelic Mac an Ghoill, son of the stranger

  • MacGillivray

    From Gaelic Mac Gille Bhràth, son of the servant of judgment

  • MacGregor

    Son of Gregor, meaning watchful

  • MacInnes

    From Gaelic Mac Aonghuis, son of Angus

  • MacIntosh

    From Gaelic Mac an Toisich, son of the chief

  • MacIntyre

    From Gaelic Mac an tSaoir, son of the carpenter

  • MacIsaac

    Son of Isaac, meaning he laughs

  • MacIver

    From Gaelic Mac Iomhair, son of Ivar, bow warrior

  • Mackay

    From Gaelic Mac Aoidh, son of Aodh, fire

  • MacKellar

    From Gaelic Mac Ealair, son of Hilary, cheerful

  • MacKendrick

    Son of Henry, home ruler

  • Mackenzie

    From Gaelic Mac Coinnich, son of the fair one

  • Mackie

    From Gaelic Mac Aoidh, son of Aodh, fire

  • MacKinlay

    Son of Finlay, fair hero

  • MacKinnon

    From Gaelic Mac Fhionghuin, son of the fair born

  • MacLachlan

    Son of Lachlan, from the land of the lochs

  • MacLaren

    From Gaelic Mac Labhrainn, son of Laurence

  • MacLean

    From Gaelic Mac Gille Eathain, son of John's servant

  • MacLennan

    From Gaelic Mac Gille Fhinnein, son of Saint Finnan's servant

  • MacLeod

    Son of Leod, from Old Norse Ljótr, ugly

  • MacMillan

    From Gaelic Mac Maoláin, son of the tonsured one

  • MacNab

    From Gaelic Mac an Aba, son of the abbot

  • MacNaughton

    From Gaelic Mac Neachdainn, son of Neachdan, pure

  • MacNeil

    Son of Niall, meaning champion

  • MacNicol

    Son of Nicol, victory of the people

  • MacPhail

    From Gaelic Mac Phàil, son of Paul

  • MacPhee

    From Gaelic Mac Dhuibhshìth, son of the dark one of peace

  • MacPherson

    From Gaelic Mac a' Phearsain, son of the parson

  • MacQuarrie

    From Gaelic Mac Guaire, son of the proud one

  • MacQueen

    From Gaelic Mac Shuibhne, son of Suibhne, pleasant

  • MacRae

    From Gaelic Mac Rath, son of grace

  • MacSween

    From Gaelic Mac Suibhne, son of Suibhne

  • MacTavish

    From Gaelic Mac Tamhais, son of Thomas

  • MacVicar

    From Gaelic Mac a' Bhiocair, son of the vicar

  • Malcolm

    From Gaelic Maol Choluim, servant of Saint Columba

  • Marr

    Regional name from the district of Mar, Aberdeenshire

  • Matheson

    Son of Matthew, or Gaelic Mac Mhathain, son of the bear

  • Mathieson

    Son of Matthew, gift of God

  • Maxwell

    Habitational name from Roxburghshire, Maccus's pool

  • Mearns

    Regional name from the Mearns, Kincardineshire

  • Meiklejohn

    Nickname meaning big John

  • Melville

    Norman origin, from Malleville in Normandy, bad town

  • Menzies

    Norman origin, from Mesnières in Normandy

  • Millar

    Scots spelling of Miller, a mill worker

  • Milne

    Dweller or worker at a mill

  • Moffat

    Habitational name from Dumfriesshire, long plain

  • Moncrieff

    Habitational name from Perthshire, hill of the tree

  • Monteith

    Habitational name from Perthshire, moor of the Teith

  • Montgomery

    Norman origin, from Sainte-Foy-de-Montgommery

  • Morrison

    Son of Maurice, or Gaelic Mac Gille Mhoire

  • Mowat

    Norman origin, from Old French mont hault, high hill

  • Muir

    Dweller on a moor, Scots form

  • Muirhead

    Dweller at the head of the moor

  • Munro

    Possibly from Gaelic bun Rotha, mouth of the Roe

  • Murray

    Habitational name from the province of Moray

N

  • Nairn

    Habitational name from the town of Nairn

  • Napier

    Occupational name for a keeper of table linen

  • Ness

    Dweller on a headland, Old Norse nes

  • Nicoll

    From Nicholas, victory of the people

  • Nicolson

    Son of Nicol, Scots form of Nicholas

  • Nisbet

    Habitational name from Berwickshire, nose shaped hill

  • Niven

    From Gaelic Naomhín, little saint

O

  • Ochiltree

    Habitational name from Ayrshire, high homestead

  • Ogilvie

    Habitational name from Angus, high plain

  • Ogston

    Habitational name from Aberdeenshire, Ogg's settlement

  • Oliphant

    Nickname from elephant, possibly a house sign

  • Orr

    Possibly from Gaelic odhar, meaning dun or pale

P

  • Paterson

    Son of Patrick, meaning nobleman

  • Pattullo

    Habitational name from Pitullo in Fife

  • Petrie

    Scots diminutive of Peter or Patrick

  • Pettigrew

    Norman nickname, petit cru, small growth

  • Pirie

    Scots diminutive of Peter, meaning rock

  • Pollock

    Habitational name from Renfrewshire, little pool

  • Pringle

    Habitational name from Hoppringle in Roxburghshire

  • Provan

    Habitational name from Lanarkshire, prebend land

  • Purdie

    Nickname from Old French pour Dieu, by God

R

  • Rae

    Nickname from roe deer, or from Macrae

  • Ralston

    Habitational name from Renfrewshire, Ralph's settlement

  • Ramsay

    Habitational name from Ramsey in Huntingdonshire, ram island

  • Rankin

    Diminutive of Rand, a pet form of Randolph

  • Rattray

    Habitational name from Perthshire, fortress dwelling

  • Reid

    Nickname for someone with red hair

  • Reith

    Possibly from Gaelic riabhach, brindled or grizzled

  • Rennie

    Diminutive of Reynold, meaning counsel power

  • Renwick

    Habitational name from Cumberland, raven farm

  • Riddell

    Norman origin, from Ridel, or a reed dweller

  • Ritchie

    Scots diminutive of Richard, powerful ruler

  • Robertson

    Son of Robert, meaning bright fame

  • Rollo

    From Norse personal name Hrólfr, famous wolf

  • Ross

    Habitational name from Gaelic ros, promontory

  • Russell

    From Old French rous, nickname for red hair

  • Rutherford

    Habitational name from Roxburghshire, cattle ford

S

  • Sanderson

    Son of Sander, a pet form of Alexander

  • Scott

    Ethnic name for a Gaelic speaker from Scotland

  • Shaw

    From Gaelic sithech, meaning wolf, or a small wood

  • Sinclair

    Norman origin, from Saint-Clair-sur-Elle

  • Somerville

    Norman origin, from Sémerville in Normandy

  • Spence

    Occupational name for a keeper of the pantry

  • Stevenson

    Son of Steven, meaning crown

  • Stewart

    Occupational name for a steward of the royal household

  • Stirling

    Habitational name from the town of Stirling

  • Strachan

    Habitational name from Kincardineshire, valley of the drove

  • Sutherland

    Regional name for the southern land of the Norse

T

  • Tait

    From Old Norse teitr, meaning cheerful

  • Thomson

    Son of Thomas, meaning twin

  • Todd

    Nickname from northern dialect word for fox

  • Turnbull

    Nickname for a strong man who turned a bull

U

  • Urquhart

    Habitational name from Inverness, woodside

W

  • Wallace

    Ethnic name for a Welsh or Strathclyde Briton

  • Watt

    From Wat, a pet form of Walter

  • Weir

    Dweller by a river dam or fish trap

  • Whyte

    Scots spelling of White, fair haired or complexioned

  • Wilkie

    Scots diminutive of William, resolute protector

  • Wylie

    Diminutive of William, or nickname for a crafty man

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Results (6)

  • Rennie

    Diminutive of Reynold, meaning counsel power

  • Gemmell

    From Old Norse gamall, meaning old

  • Scott

    Ethnic name for a Gaelic speaker from Scotland

  • Sim

    Scots short form of Simon, he has heard

  • Meiklejohn

    Nickname meaning big John

  • Hume

    Habitational name from Berwickshire, hill or hollow

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    Scottish surnames and meanings: sons, clans and places

    In the Highlands, the prefix Mac means son of, from Gaelic mac. MacDonald is son of Domhnall (world ruler), MacGregor son of Gregor and MacKenzie son of Coinneach (fair or handsome one). Some Mac names recall a trade or office rather than a father's given name: MacIntyre is son of the carpenter, MacPherson son of the parson and MacNab son of the abbot. The spellings Mac, Mc and M' are all the same prefix and say nothing about whether a family is Scottish or Irish.

    Many other Scottish names are descriptive Gaelic nicknames. Campbell comes from cam beul, crooked mouth, and Cameron from cam shròn, crooked nose. Place names are just as important. Murray comes from the province of Moray, and Ross and Sutherland from northern districts. Hamilton and Lindsay arrived with Anglo-Norman families from places in England, while Buchanan is a district in Stirlingshire. The meaning beside each name in the list above shows which kind it is.

    Common Scottish last names in Lowlands and Highlands

    The most frequent names in Scotland today are Smith, Brown, Wilson, Robertson, Thomson, Campbell, Stewart and Anderson. Several are Lowland names built the same way as English ones: Wilson and Robertson are patronymics, Brown is a nickname for hair or skin colour, and Smith is a trade. Thomson is usually spelled without the p that English Thompsons carry. Stewart began as a job title, the steward of the royal household, before it became the name of Scotland's royal house.

    The Highlands and Islands kept Gaelic patronymics longer, and many families only settled on a fixed surname in the eighteenth century. Tenants sometimes took the name of the clan chief whose land they worked, so not every MacDonald or Campbell is related by blood. After the Jacobite risings and during the Highland Clearances, many Gaelic speakers emigrated to Canada, the Carolinas, Australia and New Zealand, which is why names like MacLeod and MacKinnon are common in Nova Scotia.

    Choosing from the Scottish last names above

    For a Highland character, pick a Mac name linked to a region: MacLeod for Skye and Lewis, MacKenzie for Ross-shire, MacLean for Mull or Campbell for Argyll. For a Lowland or city character, names like Paterson, Kerr, Johnstone or Douglas feel right, and names such as Armstrong, Elliot and Scott belong to the old reiver families of the Anglo-Scottish border. A few rarer names, like Urquhart or Menzies, make a character memorable at once.

    Pronunciation is part of the choice. Menzies is traditionally said MING-iss, Dalziel is dee-ELL and Colquhoun is ka-HOON, and readers enjoy those surprises if you explain them. Search the list by letter to find names with meanings that suit your character, and use the small generator for quick names for minor characters. If you are honouring a real ancestor, check old parish registers for the spelling that ancestor actually used.

    Frequently asked questions

    Which common Scottish surnames top the rankings today?

    Smith, Brown, Wilson, Robertson, Thomson, Campbell, Stewart and Anderson lead most recent counts, followed by Scott, Murray, MacDonald and Reid. Most are Lowland names, even though Mac names are the ones people usually associate with Scotland. The order shifts slightly from year to year.

    Are all Scottish surnames linked to a clan?

    No. Many Lowland names never belonged to a clan system, and even in the Highlands a surname does not prove descent from a chief. Clan societies today usually welcome anyone with the name or a recognised sept name. If you want to know your own family's link, parish records matter more than the surname itself.

    What does Mac mean in Scottish last names?

    Mac is Gaelic for son, so MacDonald means son of Donald. Mc and M' are abbreviations of the same prefix, used by clerks and printers. Whether a family writes Mac or Mc is a matter of habit, not of Scottish versus Irish origin, and both forms appear in each country.

    How can I trace Scottish last names and meanings in my own family?

    Start with the meaning in the list above, which tells you whether the name came from a place, a trade or a parent. Then search ScotlandsPeople, the official site for Scottish civil registration from 1855 and older parish registers. Check variant spellings, since Mc and Mac, or Thomson and Thompson, were often swapped by clerks.

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