McLaughlin

An Irish surname of Antrim and Donegal. In the 2010 US census it was carried by 74,816 people, the 437th most common surname in the country.

McLaughlin is the anglicised form of two distinct Irish names. Some you can hear in the English name; others look and sound nothing like it, and were simply swapped for it.

Ó Lachlainn

Ó Lochlainn. This family stood in Co. Clare.

Where the name comes from

Ó Lochlainn is descendant of Lochlainn, and there are two. One is a leading family of Cinel Eoghain, more commonly called Mac Lochlainn.

The other is an ancient and distinguished family in Co. Clare who took their name from Lochlainn, lord of Corcomroe, in the 10th century. The O'Loghlins and O'Connors originally formed one clan and ruled a district co-extensive with (covering the same ground as) the diocese of Kilfenora, called Corcomroe from the clan-name of its inhabitants, the Corca Modhruaidh. That district was afterwards divided nearly in half between them, O'Loghlen ruling East Corcomroe, also called Burren, and O'Connor the west. The O'Loghlens were a powerful family and kept their rank as lords of Burren down to the reign of Elizabeth.

The Giant's Causeway at twilight with wet hexagonal basalt columns stretching to the sea and long exposure blurred waves
The Giant's Causeway, Co. Antrim

The McLaughlin counties, photographed

Antrim

The Antrim coast road runs about 25 miles between the cliffs and the sea, with nine glens coming down to it. The rock is basalt, the same flow that formed the Giant's Causeway. Scotland is 12 miles off at the narrowest point and visible on a clear day.

The iconic Dark Hedges beech tree tunnel near Armoy in County Antrim with intertwined branches forming a brooding canopyThe Dark Hedges, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Long exposure of Pan's Rock with its footbridge at dawn on the Antrim Causeway Coast, silky water and blurred clouds, Rathlin Island on the horizonPan's Rock, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Sunrise over Colliery Bay with Fair Head cliffs and mountains, Co. Antrim, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxColliery Bay & Fair Head, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Dunluce Castle on coastal cliffs with long exposure sea, Co. Antrim, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxDunluce Castle, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim Black and white photograph of a rainstorm sweeping across the Skerries islands off the North Antrim coast near PortrushRainstorm, the Skerries, Co. Antrim Co. Antrim

Donegal

Slieve League is about 600 metres from clifftop to sea, one of the highest sea cliffs in Europe. Errigal is the highest mountain in the county at 751 metres, and it's quartzite, so it turns pink in low light. Glenveagh National Park covers about 16,000 hectares behind them.

Nocturne, Fanad Head, Co. DonegalNocturne, Fanad Head, Co. Donegal Co. Donegal Fanad Head Lighthouse at dawn with sunrise over Inishowen, Co. Donegal, fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxFanad Head at Dawn, Co. Donegal Co. Donegal St. John's Point Lighthouse standing on the headland on a bright spring day with green grass, DonegalSt. John's Point Lighthouse, Co. Donegal Co. Donegal Tory Island Lighthouse beam sweeping through hazy night air on both sides of the tower in a long exposure on the Donegal coastNocturne, Tory Island Lighthouse, Co. Donegal Co. Donegal Intense double rainbow arching across the sky over green mountains near Glencolmcille in County DonegalRainbow, Glencolmcille, Co. Donegal Co. Donegal Black and white view of Glengesh Pass with a winding road through rolling hills, Co. Donegal — fine art landscape photograph by Peter CoxGlengesh Pass, Co. Donegal Co. Donegal

All Antrim prints · All Donegal prints

Notable bearers

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (born 1999), athletics competitor, sprinter, and athlete.

John McLaughlin (born 1942), musician, composer, and songwriter.

Conor McLaughlin (born 1991), association football player.

Ryan McLaughlin (born 1994), association football player.

Jon McLaughlin (born 1987), association football player.

About this page

The counties on this page are where the name was thickest on the ground in Ireland a century and a half ago, not a claim about any one family. Names moved around inside the country as much as they left it. The photographs are mine, made in the counties named.

More Irish surnames: King · Reynolds · Ford · Hunt · Hart · Burke · Banks · May · Hopkins · Leonard · Moran · Thornton

How common the name was

In 1890, 391 births were registered under McLaughlin in Ireland, most of them in Antrim and Donegal.

Connacht 94
Leinster 62
Munster no figure printed
Ulster no figure printed
Ireland 391