McAllister (surname)
 | |
| Language(s) | Gaelic |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Meaning | "Son of Alasdair" |
| Region of origin | Ireland/Scotland |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | This surname has multiple different spellings which are displayed below. |
McAllister is a surname from Ireland and Scotland that originates from the Gaelic name Mac Alasdair, meaning son of Alasdair. Alasdair is the Gaelic form of the first name Alexander.[1]
McAllister history
The McAllisters for the greater part owe their ancestry to the Scottish Clan Donald. The name is derived from the personal name Alexander. The McAllisters arrived in Ulster as Gallowglasses (from Irish: Gallóglaigh meaning foreign warriors) at the invitation of the MacDonnell's. Today, the greatest numbers of the name are to be found in Counties Antrim, Down, Londonderry, Fermanagh, and Dublin, otherwise the name is widely dispersed.[2]
Arrival in Ireland
Unlike many Scottish surnames found in modern day Ulster, the MacAllisters did not arrive during the Plantation of Ulster.
The MacAllisters spread into Northern Ireland early on; some families of this clan were established there by the 14th century. And a considerable number followed the MacDonalds of Dunyvaig to Antrim after that clan lost its Scottish lands in the 1600s.
Like the MacDonalds, The MacAllister's were seen as ‘uncivilised Gaels' and were not considered appropriate candidates for the Ulster Plantations therefore, are not among the group now known as Ulster-Scots (or Scotch-Irish).[3]
Common spellings
The McAllister surname has many different spellings due to immigration. Some of the common spellings are[4]
- McAlister
- McAllister
- McCallister
- McCalister
- McAlaster
- McAlester
- McAlister
- McAllaster
- McAllester
McAllister demographics
| Religious Adherence in Ireland | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Catholic | 50% |
| Presbyterian | 30% |
| Anglican | 20% |
'Sample size: 1,530 (1901). It is likely that these figures have changed significantly. In recent times, the religious adherence of those bearing the McAllister last name is predominantly Catholic in Ireland.'
List of persons with the surname
- Alastair McAllister (born 1942), Australian harpsichord builder
- Alexis Mac Allister (born 1998), Argentine professional footballer
- Alex W. McAllister, American politician; mayor of Huntsville, Alabama
- Anna McAllister (b. 1888), American historian of Catholic women's history
- Anne McAllister, American writer of romance novels
- Billy McAllister (1907–84), Australian boxer of the 1920s and '30s
- Colin McAllister (born 1968), Scottish interior designer
- Craig McAllister (born 1980), Scottish footballer
- David McAllister (born 1971), German politician
- Deuce McAllister (born 1978), American football player
- Gary McAllister (born 1964), Scottish international footballer, manager
- Ian McAllister (born 1950), Irish-British-Australian professor of political science, Australian National University
- Jamie McAllister (born 1978), Scottish international footballer
- Jenn McAllister (born 1996), American YouTube personality
- Jim McAllister (1944–2013), Irish activist and politician
- John D. T. McAllister (1827–1910), Utah Pioneer and Mormon Leader
- Kevin McAllister (born 1962), Scottish footballer
- Mary E. McAllister, North Carolina state Representative
- Matthew McAllister (1758–1823), American lawyer and politician
- Matthew Hall McAllister (1800–1865), American judge
- Nuala McAllister, Northern Irish politician
- Randy McAllister, American blues and Americana musician
- Rita McAllister, Scottish musicologist
- Rod McAllister (born 1961), British architect
- Rory McAllister (born 1987), Scottish footballer
- Sam J. McAllister (1904–1975), American college sports coach
- Samuel McAllister, American Medal of Honor recipient
- Sean McAllister (born 1987), English footballer
- Sean McAllister (born 1965), British documentary filmmaker
- Sport McAllister (1874–1962), American baseball player
- Sue McAllister, British Director General
- Tim McAllister (born 1962), American musician
- Vance McAllister (born 1974), member of the United States House of Representatives from Louisiana, 2013–15
- Ward McAllister (1827–1895), American socialite
- Ward McAllister Jr. (1855–1908), American lawyer and judge
- William K. McAllister (1818–85), American jurist
List of fictional characters with the surname
- Angharad McAllister from the soap opera Emmerdale
- Jessica McAllister from the soap opera Emmerdale
- John Peter McAllister, Korean War Veteran and ninja master, from the NBC show, The Master (American TV series)
- Kevin McCallister from the film series Home Alone
- C. W. McAllister, a one-time character of The Simpsons (in the King of the Hill episode)
- Sergeant Thomas McAllister from the TV series Strike Back (series 6–8)
- Sheriff Thomas McAllister from the TV series The Mentalist who turned out to be the serial killer Red John
- Darryl McAllister from the book series Young Wizards
- Jack McAllister from the TV Series Waterloo Road (TV series)
See also
- Clan MacAlister
- McAlister, surname
- McCalister, surname
- McCallister, surname
- McAlester (disambiguation), includes a list of people with surname McAlester
References
- ^ "Mcallister Name Meaning & Mcallister Family History at Ancestry.com". www.ancestry.com. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "Mc Alister Switzerland". Mc Alister history. Retrieved 1 January 2007.
- ^ "A Brief History of the Clann Alasdair". 19 August 2013.
- ^ "Clan McAlister Home Page". Clan McAlister of America. Retrieved 17 August 2006.
External links
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.