McLendon
A Scottish and Irish surname meaning “son of Lendon,” likely from an older personal name or place-name form behind the Mc/Mac prefix.
The #4,193 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 36,525 Americans shares it.
Etymology
McLendon is a Gaelic-style surname built with the prefix Mac or Mc, meaning “son of.” The second element, Lendon, is not fully secure; in surnames of this type it usually reflects an older personal name, nickname, or sometimes a lost or altered place-name. The name therefore most likely began as “son of Lendon,” with the exact origin of Lendon itself uncertain.
History
The surname is found in Scotland and Ireland and later became established in North America through migration. In the United States, McLendon is especially associated with families of Scottish or Scots-Irish background. Like many Mac/Mc surnames, its spelling has varied over time, and forms without the apostrophe are standard in modern records.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The Mc/Mac prefix in surnames often survives even when the original Gaelic form behind the rest of the name has become obscure or altered over centuries.