McKeown
McKeown or MacKeown is an Irish surname originating both from the Gaelic Mac Eoghain ("Son of Eoghan") and Mac Eoin ("Son of John"), which are pronounced identically.
| Mac Eoin Bissett (McKeown) | |
|---|---|
.svg.png) Armorial of Bissett | |
| Country | Gaelic Ireland |
| Parent house | Bissett family |
| Titles |
|
| Founded | 13th century |
| Founder | John Byset the Elder |
| Dissolution | 16th century |
The McKeowns of McKeownstown, Ulster are also known as the Bissett family in Ireland and can be studied independently from that of the originally identical family in Scotland, because of their unique experience following their arrival in Ulster in the early or mid-13th century. Here, while still remaining involved in Scottish affairs, the Bissetts would establish themselves as the Lords of the Glens of Antrim and quickly become equally, then eventually more involved in the politics of the Irish province, becoming among the most Gaelicized of all the so-called Anglo-Norman families in Ireland. The heads of the leading branch of the family soon adopted the Gaelic lineage style Mac Eoin Bissett (of the Glens), by which they are known in the Irish annals, and which translates as "Son/Descendant of John Byset", after a prominent ancestor born in Scotland. In a number of English and Anglo-Norman sources the same head of the family is referred to as the Baron Bissett, also with variants.
This family style or title eventually split, in a manner, to provide both the modern County Antrim surname Mac Eoin, anglicized McKeon/McKeown, and the surname Bissett itself (in Ireland), the latter not easily distinguishable from the typically Scottish Bisset, for which the doubling of the final -t-, the typical practice in Ireland from the 16th century, has become more common in modern times. In the Irish language Bissett is usually written Bised (Biseid).
People
- Bob McKeown, Canadian reporter
- Charles McKeown, British actor and writer
- Bishop Donal McKeown Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor
- Erin McKeown, American singer
- Gary McKeown, British footballer (retired)
- Gerard McKeown Irish writer
- Greg McKeown (author), leadership consultant and writer
- Greg McKeown, American soccer player (retired)
- James McKeown, Irish football player
- Jim McKeown (soccer), American soccer player
- Jim McKeown (racing driver), Australian racing driver
- Jimeoin McKeown, Irish-Australian comedian and actor
- John McKeown, Scottish singer
- Laurence McKeown, Provisional Irish Republican Army member
- Les McKeown, Scottish singer, former member of the Bay City Rollers
- M. Margaret McKeown, judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- Max McKeown, British management author
- Nick McKeown, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Stanford University
- Sean McKeown, American Herpetologist
- Susan McKeown, Irish-American singer
- Thomas McKeown, Scottish footballer (Celtic, Blackburn Rovers, Scotland)
- Tom D. McKeown, American politician (US Representative from Oklahoma)
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This page or section lists people with the surname McKeown. 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. |