McElwain

English

Alternative forms

• McElvain, McElwaine, McIlvain, McIlveen, McIlwain, McIlwaine

Etymology

Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Mac Gille Bheathain (“son of the servant of (Saint) Beathan”), a personal name representing a diminutive of beatha (“life”). Anglicized form of Irish Mac Giolla Bháin (“son of the white-haired lad”), for which compare Kilbane.

Proper noun

McElwain (plural McElwains)

1. A surname.

Statistics

• According to the 2010 United States Census, McElwain is the 10487^th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 3060 individuals. McElwain is most common among White (91.67%) individuals.

Further reading

• Hanks, Patrick, editor (2003), “McElwain”, in Dictionary of American Family Names, volume 2, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 551.