MacAlister

MacAlister
This most interesting Scottish clan surname, with variant spellings MacAlester, MacAlister, MacAllaster, Mac Allister, etc., is arguably not really Scottish at all! It derives from the personal name 'Alexander', a name which is not recorded in Britain before the 12th century. Developed from the Greek 'Alexandros', meaning 'defender of men', nowhere is the name so thoroughly national as in Scotland. It is claimed that it was introduced by Queen Margaret, wife of King Malcolm Canmore (1057-1093), a lady who was of Hungarian origin. A more likely explanation is that it was introduced by the Crusaders who used Greece as a base for their intended invasions of the Holy Land. What is certain is that as 'Alexander' it was recorded in England in the Danelaw Rolls of Lincoln in 1150, and as a surname in 1283 when Thomas Alexander was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk. The early recordings in Scotland include Alexander Makalester in the registers of the Black Isle in the year 1500, whilst John Makalester had a 'precept of remission' in 1542. Angus McAlester was a follower of Murdow McCloyd who 'lead an attack on the galley of the laird of Balcomie' in 1601, whilst Ferquar MacAllister is recorded in Dunzean Croy in 1603. In London, Lydia, the daughter of Oliver and Lydia McAllester, was christened on February 16th 1746, at St. Annes Church, Westminster. The blazon of the coat of arms has a red eagle displayed on a gold field, a bordure of black charged with three silver cross crosslets at the points. The crest is a hand holding a silver dagger, point up. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Ranald Makalestyr, which was dated 1455, the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, 1264 - 1600. during the reign of King James 11, of Scotland, 1437 - 1460. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Macalister — MacAlister, MacAllister is a Scottish surname. It can refer to the following people: MacAlister * Arthur Macalister (1818 – 1883) was twice Premier of Queensland, Australia * David Macalister Silva (born 1986), a Colombian footballer * Donald… …   Wikipedia

  • Macalister River — Macallister River Macalister Brücke bei Licola über den Macalister RiverVorlage:Infobox Fluss/KARTE fehlt …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • MACALISTER, Arthur (1818-1883) — premier of Queensland was born in 1818 at Glasgow, Scotland. He emigrated to Australia in 1850, and settled in the Moreton Bay district, then part of New South Wales. He practised as a solicitor, took part in the movement for separation, and was… …   Dictionary of Australian Biography

  • Macalister — I. /məˈkæləstə/ (say muh kaluhstuh) noun Arthur, 1818–83, Australian solicitor and politician, born in Scotland; premier of Qld 1866, 1866–67 and 1874–76. II. /məˈkæləstə/ (say muh kaluhstuh) noun a river in Gippsland, Victoria; rising on the… …  

  • Clan MacAlister — Crest badge …   Wikipedia

  • Donald MacAlister — Sir Donald MacAlister, Bt Young Donald MacAlister Chancellor of the University of Glasgow Term 1907 – 1929 …   Wikipedia

  • John Macalister — (1914 1944) fut, pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale un agent secret canadien du Special Operations Executive. Parachuté en France pour y travailler comme opérateur radio d’un nouveau réseau dans les Ardennes, le réseau ARCHDEACON, il fut arrêté… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • John Kenneth Macalister — (July 19, 1914, Guelph, Ontario, Canada September 14, 1944, Buchenwald) was a Canadian hero of World War II.John Macalister graduated the Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute (GCVI) and from the University of Toronto, then as a Rhodes Scholar… …   Wikipedia

  • James A. MacAlister — (April 26, 1840 – December 11, 1913) was a lawyer, school superintendent, and the first president of the Drexel Institute of Art, Science, and Industry.Early lifeBorn in Glasgow, Scotland,cite web|date=December 13, 1913 |title=Educator Dies At… …   Wikipedia

  • Owen MacEoin Dubh MacAlister — was a son of Alasdair MacEoin Dubh MacAlister, 1st of Loup, Chief of Clan MacAlister. He was killed in battle in Antrim, Ireland in 1571. Biography Became Chief of Clan MacAlister, 2nd of Loup, upon the death of his father. Owen was an esteemed… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”