Contents [hide]

McArthur History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

McArthur History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of McArthur

What does the name McArthur mean?

The many centuries old Dalriadan-Scottish name McArthur comes from the Celtic personal name Arthur. It denotes the 'son of arthur', which means noble one.

Early Origins of the McArthur family

The surname McArthur was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the census rolls taken by the ancient Kings of Scotland to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the McArthur family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McArthur research. Another 184 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1427, 1767, 1817 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McArthur History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McArthur Spelling Variations

Spelling and translation were not standardized practices until the last few centuries. Spelling variations are extremely common among early Scottish names. McArthur has been spelled MacArthur, MacArtair, MacArter and many more.

Early Notables of the McArthur family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was Alister MacArthur who was beheaded by James I in 1427; and John MacArthur of the Strachur branch (1767) who journeyed to Australia with the 102nd Regiment. He became actively involved in the development...
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McArthur Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McArthur World Ranking

In the United States, the name McArthur is the 2,886^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name McArthur is ranked the 866^th most popular surname with an estimated 6,140 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name McArthur is the 715^th popular surname with an estimated 5,494 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks McArthur as 646^th with 1,112 people. 4

Migration of the McArthur family to Ireland

Some of the McArthur family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McArthur migration to the United States +

Many who arrived from Scotland settled along the east coast of North America in communities that would go on to become the backbones of the young nations of the United States and Canada. In the American War of Independence, many settlers who remained loyal to England went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Their descendants later began to recover the lost Scottish heritage through events such as the highland games that dot North America in the summer months. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the McArthur family emigrate to North America:

McArthur Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Gilbert McArthur, who arrived in New Jersey in 1685 5

McArthur Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Alexander McArthur, who landed in New York in 1738 5
Neil McArthur who settled in New York State in 1738 with his wife Mary Campbell and three children, Alexander, John, and Christian
Patrick McArthur also settled in New York State in 1738 with his wife Mary McDugall and children, Charles, Colin, and Jennet
Mary McArthur, who landed in New York in 1738 5
Neil McArthur, who landed in New York, NY in 1738 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McArthur Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Charles McArthur, aged 20, who landed in New York in 1812 5
Daniel McArthur, aged 48, who arrived in New York in 1812-1813 5
Andrew McArthur, aged 47, who landed in South Carolina in 1812 5
John McArthur, aged 20, who landed in New York in 1812 5
Nancy McArthur, who arrived in New York in 1821 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McArthur migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McArthur Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. McArthur, who settled in Prince Edward Island in 1770
Mr. Alex McArthur U.E. who settled in Didgeguash, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 6
Mr. Charles McArthur U.E. who settled in St. Stephen, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 6
Mr. John McArthur U.E. who settled in Thurlow [Belleville], Ontario c. 1784 he served in the Loyal Rangers 6
Mr. Robert McArthur U.E. who settled in Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McArthur Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Duncan McArthur, aged 33, a labourer, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
Christian McArthur, aged 29, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
John McArthur, aged 3, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
Janet McArthur, aged 1 1/2, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
James McArthur, who arrived in Canada in 1820
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McArthur migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

McArthur Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Charles McArthur, (b. 1790), aged 33, Scottish stone mason who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 14 years for forgery, transported aboard the "Commodore Hayes" in April 1823, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1867 7
Charles McArthur, English convict from Northumberland, who was transported aboard the "America" on April 4, 1829, settling in New South Wales, Australia 8
Mr. John McArthur, Scottish convict who was convicted in Aberdeen, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 20th January 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
Mr. Robert McArthur, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Blenheim" on 11th March 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
Mr. Alexander McArthur, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Earl Grey" on 27th July 1838, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McArthur migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

McArthur Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Peter McARTHUR, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
D. McArthur, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gloucester" arriving in Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand on 28th December 1858 12
Mr. Duncan McArthur, Scottish settler travelling from Leith aboard the ship 'Melbourne' arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 18th March 1861 12
Mrs. McArthur, Scottish settler travelling from Leith with 3 sons and 4 daughters aboard the ship 'Melbourne' arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 18th March 1861 12
Mr. William Mcarthur, (b. 1841), aged 21, Scottish shepherd, from Fifeshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name McArthur (post 1700) +

William Pope McArthur (1814-1850), American naval officer and hydrologist involved in the first surveys of the Pacific Coast
Katherine Megan McArthur (b. 1971), NASA Astronaut with almost 13 days in space 14
Duncan McArthur (1772-1839), American politician, 11th Governor of Ohio
William Surles "Bill" McArthur Jr. (b. 1951), American astronaut with 224 days, 22 hours, 28 minutes, and 10 seconds in space
Nancy McArthur, American children's author
John McArthur (1826-1906), Union general during the American Civil War
Paul G. McArthur, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Army Air Forces, during World War II, credited with 5 aerial victories
Clifton Nesmith McArthur (1879-1923), American Republican politician, Member of Oregon State House of Representatives, 1913; U.S. Representative from Oregon 3rd District, 1915-23; Defeated, 1922 15
Charles McArthur, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1908 15
C. L. McArthur, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Oklahoma, 1948 15
... (Another 34 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the McArthur family +

HMS Royal Oak

Archibald McArthur (1919-1939), British Engine Room Artificer 5th Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 16

RMS Lusitania

Mr. William George Mcarthur, English Assistant Cook from Seaforth, Liverpool, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 17

The McArthur Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fide et opera
Motto Translation: By fidelity and work.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th March 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/commodore-hayes
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 26) America voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1829 with 176 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/america/1829
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blenheim
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-grey
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
NASA Astronauts Homepage. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Katherine McArthur. Retrieved from http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/mcarthur-km.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/