The Maclean surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 7,504 people carried this name — #4,726 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 39,400 people counted. That is up 5% from 7,127 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Maclean surname

A Scottish surname from Scottish Gaelic.

From Scottish Gaelic MacGilleEathain, patronymic form of a personal name meaning "servant of (Saint) John".

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Maclean» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

33 people named Maclean live in Switzerland.

They live in 4 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Vaud 15
Zurich 8
Geneva 7
Basel-Stadt 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

45 people named Maclean is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 45

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In Scotland, 1880s

McLean and Maclean, counted together, were 31 in every 10,000 names in Scotland.

That is about 1 in 323. Its home there, in Guppy’s words: “Scattered, but most numerous in Argyllshire.” He counted the more than 20,000 names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, taking Scotland as a whole, and listed only the names that reached 10 in every 10,000.

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), appendix: alphabetical list of the most frequent Scottish names, p. 592 — public domain · names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, per 10,000 for the whole country.

In Scotland’s registers today

Maclean was recorded 197 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 104th most common name in those registers. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 380. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Maclean in American newspapers,
1908–1912.

Newspaper page from The Lafayette Advertiser carrying the name Maclean
The Lafayette Advertiser 1912-12-06
Newspaper page from Evening Journal carrying the name Maclean
Evening Journal 1908-05-04
Newspaper page from The Lafayette Advertiser carrying the name Maclean
The Lafayette Advertiser 1912-12-10

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 2,082 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Maclean in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2010s.

42,115 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Maclean. The most, 7,919, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Queensland, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 17,110
Queensland 10,751
Victoria 7,153
South Australia 2,768
Tasmania 1,987
Western Australia 1,822
ACT (Canberra) 299
Northern Territory 66

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Maclean.

Who carried it

People named Maclean,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Helen Maclean d. 1958
  • Donald Maclean d. 1651
  • Susan Maclean d. 1873
  • Anita Maclean d. 1969
  • John Maclean d. 1526
  • Mary Helen Gordon d. 2007

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Maclean,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,570 records

1,570 records of the Maclean name in the United States
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 807
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 260
  • Other U.S. records 503
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Weston David MacLean

    Born 1947; from Westbury, New York. U.S. Marine Corps, machinegunner; killed in action 1966 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam. Buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Stephen J. MacLean

    Born 1914 in Canada. Enlisted 1943 at Boston, Massachusetts; machine shop worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1998, buried at Massachusetts National Cemetery, Massachusetts.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Anne MacLean

    Arrived at New York in 1852 aboard the Hibernia from London, aged 35; servant. From England.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,570 records for Maclean in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada4,455 records

4,455 records of the Maclean name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 4,087
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 101
  • Other Canadian records 267
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record John MacLean

    Killed in 1953 at the Dominion No. 18 mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Donald Whitfield MacLean

    Died 1999, aged 68; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Florence I. MacLean

    Buried in 1991 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 81.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.

Showing 3 of 4,455 records for Maclean in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Australia692 records

692 records of the Maclean name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 293
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 151
  • Other Australian records 248
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Jean MacLean

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Mellish, sailing from Spithead in 1830. Native of Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1837.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Euphemia MacLean

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Aurora, sailing from London in 1851. Native of Argyllshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Maggie MacLean

    Arrived in Victoria in 1885 aboard the Orient, aged 14; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 692 records for Maclean in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Netherlands436 records

436 records of the Maclean name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 224
  • Dutch population registers 174
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 38
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Willem MacLean

    Married in 1824 in Nijmegen; "kanonier", born 1787 in s-Hertogenbosch. Died 1860 in Nijmegen, aged 73; "kanonier".

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Louisa MacLean

    Married in 1830 in Klundert. Died 1877 in Rotterdam, aged 77.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Arie Jacobus Mac Lean

    Married in 1914 in Smallingerland. Died 1950 in Rotterdam, aged 67.

    Open Archives, AlleFriezen (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 436 records for Maclean in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

United Kingdom110 records

110 records of the Maclean name in the United Kingdom
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 49
  • Stirling Council burial records 43
  • Other British records 18
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Donald Alexander MacLean

    Born 1896 at Lower Derraid; ironmonger. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Alick MacLean

    Buried in 1985 at Callander Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 62.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Sarah MacLean

    Will proved in 1938; of Rhyl, Flint.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 110 records for Maclean in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand9 records

9 records of the Maclean name in New Zealand
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 4
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 3
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Geoffrey St Every MacLean

    Died 1932, aged 83; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Cushla Nora MacLean

    Died 1995, aged 83; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 9 records for Maclean in New Zealand.

Counts: Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Germany6 records

6 records of the Maclean name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Percy Mac-Lean

    From Pr.-Stargard. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 11 September 1915 (Grenadier Regiment No. 5).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Allan Mac Lean

    From Carlsmarkt. Reported dead in the Imperial Navy casualty list of 19 February 1916.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 6 records for Maclean in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

France5 records

5 records of the Maclean name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record William Alexander MacLean

    Born 1964 in the United Kingdom; died 1991 in Eulmont (Meurthe-et-Moselle).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Edith MacLean

    Born 1905 in Morocco; died 1991 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Maclean in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Maclean.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Maclean.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Maclean is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Maclean volume
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