McKinley Surname Meaning & Origin
What the McKinley last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the McKinley last name
Meaning of the McKinley last name: son of Finlay. McKinley is a Scottish surname from Gaelic Mac Fhionnlaigh, "son of Fionnlagh", the first name behind Finlay, often explained as "fair warrior". The last name spread from the Highlands to Ulster and on to America. Curiously, William McKinley, the 25th US president, had ancestors from County Antrim.
Arms associated with the McKinley name
Coats of arms associated with the McKinley surname follow Scottish heraldry, where each blazon belongs to one bearer.
Get your full McKinley family history
This is only a glimpse of the McKinley story. The full McKinley history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted McKinley coat of arms. Get the full McKinley report.
McKinley name FAQ
What does the McKinley name mean?
Son of Finlay. Common variants include MacKinlay, McKinlay, McGinley.
Where does the McKinley surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Northern Ireland and Canada.
Is there a McKinley coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized McKinley coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).