Meaning & History
MacCallum is a Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic MacColuim, meaning "son of Columba." The personal name comes from Late Latin meaning "dove," a symbol of the Holy Spirit in Christianity. Saint Columba was a 6th-century Irish monk who founded a monastery on Iona and is credited with converting Scotland to Christianity.
History
The MacCallum sept is part of Clan MacCallum, a Highlands clan originally from Lorn. Over time, forms such as McCallum gained prevalence. Both derive from MacColuim in Scottish Gaelic.
Notable Bearers
Notable MacCallums include James MacCallum Smith (1868–1939), Australian politician; Mungo Wentworth MacCallum (1941–2020), Australian journalist; Mungo William MacCallum (1854–1942), Chancellor of University of Sydney; Martha MacCallum (b. 1964), American news anchor; and William George MacCallum (1874–1944), Canadian physician.
Variants
Related forms include Colum, Coleman (Irish), Colombo (Italian), as well as cultural equivalents like Columbus.
- Meaning: Son of Columba (dove)
- Origin: Scottish Gaelic
- Type: Surname
- Region: Scotland
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — MacCallum