MacFarlane
A Scottish clan name meaning “son of Parlan,” with Parlan traditionally linked to Bartholomew.
The #7,243 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 67,046 Americans shares it.
Etymology
MacFarlane is a Gaelic patronymic built from mac, meaning “son of,” plus Parlan or Farlan. The personal name is generally taken as a Gaelic form of Bartholomew, though older writers sometimes give traditional or legendary explanations. In plain English, the surname means “son of Parlan/Bartholomew.”
History
The name is strongly associated with the Scottish clan MacFarlane of the Loch Lomond district. Historical surname writers connect the clan with an early ancestor linked to the earls of Lennox, and later tradition made the origin story even more elaborate. The surname spread beyond Scotland and appears in Irish records as well, often in spellings influenced by English spelling habits.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Some clan accounts describe the MacFarlane badge as cranberry, a detail often repeated in heraldic and clan histories.
From the historical record
“Patrick) McFarlane. Bartholomew’s son McGirr. From the Irish (short) McGlew. Irish clow (?) (wise) McGowan. From the Irish Gobha (a smith)”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (2nd ed.)