If your surname is MacKinnon or McKinnon, your ancestors walked the wild shores of the Isle of Skye. They guarded the sacred island of Iona. And in 1746, they risked their lives to save Bonnie Prince Charlie. Clan MacKinnon is one of Scotland’s oldest Highland clans. Their story runs from royal blood to exile, from monastery to battlefield. Today, hundreds of thousands of McKinnon and MacKinnon descendants live in North America and Australia. Many don’t know the clan behind their name. This guide traces the Scottish surnames of Clan MacKinnon back to their Gaelic roots, explores the tartan, and shows you how to walk where your ancestors once stood.
The Gaelic Roots of MacKinnon
The Scottish surnames of Clan MacKinnon come from one Gaelic root: Mac Fhionghuin. It means “son of Fionnghuin.” That personal name has two parts. Fionn means white or fair. Guin is often translated as warrior or born. So MacKinnon roughly means “son of the fair warrior.”
In North America, the spelling McKinnon is just as common as MacKinnon. Both trace back to the same Gaelic root. Old immigration records may show MacKinen, Kinnon, MacKinnin, or Kinnan. Clerks wrote what they heard. If you find a variant spelling in your family tree, check the Skye parish records for the original Gaelic form.
Clan MacKinnon belongs to the ancient Siol Alpin — the “seed of Alpin.” This is the same royal line claimed by the MacGregors and the MacNabs. Their clan battle cry is Cuimhnich bàs Alpein — “Remember the death of Alpin.” It honours King Alpin, father of Kenneth MacAlpin, who was killed in battle around 834 AD. The clans of Scotland took their royal ancestry seriously. For the MacKinnons, that ancient line was a point of pride for centuries.
Septs and Related Surnames
Several sept surnames fall under the MacKinnon clan. Septs were smaller family groups that came under the clan’s protection. If you carry one of these names, you may have MacKinnon blood in your family tree.
- Love — Perhaps the most surprising sept. Scottish families named Love in the west Highlands were often linked to MacKinnon. The name comes from the Gaelic personal name Labhran. If your ancestors were Scottish Loves from Argyll or the Hebrides, this is worth researching.
- MacKinven / McKinven — A close variant of MacKinnon found in Argyll and the southern Hebrides. Old parish records often use both spellings for the same family.
- MacMorran — A sept recorded in Skye and Argyll, historically linked to the clan.
- Sherson / Shirron — A rarer anglicised form found in some western Highland records.
Always search for phonetic variants when reading old Scottish records. A name can shift spelling across generations. Check our guide on how to trace your Scottish ancestry for help navigating the Old Parish Records and civil registration archives.
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The Heart of MacKinnon Country: The Isle of Skye
The MacKinnons held their chief territory on the Isle of Skye. Their main stronghold was Castle Maol — Caisteal Maol in Gaelic. The ruin still stands on a rocky headland at Kyleakin, just beside the Skye Bridge. It is one of the most accessible ancestral castle ruins in all of Scotland.
Kyleakin sits at the narrowest point of the strait between Skye and the mainland. The MacKinnons used the castle to control this crossing. Local legend says a Norwegian princess once stretched a chain across the water and charged passing ships a toll. The castle walls still rise above the shore. You can walk from Kyleakin village to the site in minutes.
The clan also held land in Strathaird, a peninsula on the south-east coast of Skye. The famous Fairy Pools at Glenbrittle lie not far from this area. Those crystal-clear mountain pools beneath the Cuillin range sit in the heart of old MacKinnon territory. The clan also had connections to the MacLeod-controlled lands to the north, and their boundaries shifted across the centuries.
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Guardians of Iona
One of Clan MacKinnon’s most remarkable roles was as hereditary guardians of the monastery of Iona. Iona is a tiny island off the south-west coast of Mull. St Columba founded it in 563 AD. It became the spiritual heart of early Scottish Christianity. Scottish kings were buried on Iona for centuries. Kenneth MacAlpin, the first King of Scots, was laid to rest there.
The MacKinnons served as coarbs — hereditary stewards — of the Iona community. They held this role under the Lords of the Isles. John MacKinnon served as one of the last Abbots of Iona in the early 16th century, before the Reformation ended the monastery’s religious role.
Scottish-American families in the Carolinas and Cape Breton passed down stories of their “church families” — clans who held sacred duties on the western islands. The MacKinnons were one of those families. Many emigrants carried this memory with them across the Atlantic. If you visit Iona today, you walk ground that MacKinnon ancestors maintained for generations.
The MacKinnon Tartan
The MacKinnon tartan is bold and distinctive. The modern version uses red, navy blue, green, and black. The red is strong and vivid. It gives the tartan its striking character and sets it apart from the softer greens of many other Highland tartans.
The ancient version uses the same colours in muted tones. It echoes the natural dyes that Highland weavers used centuries ago. There is also a MacKinnon hunting tartan, which uses more green. This would have served in the field, blending with the landscape of Skye and the wider Hebrides.
The tartan is registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans. You can find authentic MacKinnon fabric from specialist weavers in Edinburgh and Inverness. Many Scots-Canadian communities in Cape Breton still wear it at Highland Games and clan gatherings.
Jacobite Loyalty and Bonnie Prince Charlie
Clan MacKinnon stood firmly with the Stuart cause. In 1745, they answered Charles Edward Stuart’s call to arms. They fought at the Battle of Culloden in April 1746 — the last pitched battle on British soil. The British government crushed the Jacobite army that day. It was a turning point for Highland Scotland.
After Culloden, the MacKinnon chief — John MacKinnon of MacKinnon — helped the fugitive prince escape. He personally guided Charles Edward Stuart through the Outer Hebrides and across to Skye. It was a dangerous act. The British government offered £30,000 for the prince’s capture. John MacKinnon risked execution to protect him.
British troops arrested John MacKinnon shortly after. They held him in London for months before releasing him. He returned to Skye. But the clan’s lands came under growing pressure. The MacKinnons never fully recovered their former power. Their loyalty to the Stuart cause cost them dearly — as it did for many Highland families, including the Frasers and the Camerons.
The Clearances and Emigration
The decades after Culloden brought hardship to all Highland clans. The British government banned the tartan. Clan chiefs lost their traditional legal powers. Many people fell into poverty. Then the Highland Clearances made things worse.
From the late 18th century through the 19th century, landlords cleared families from the land to make room for sheep. MacKinnon families in Strathaird and across Skye felt this deeply. The Clearances pushed thousands off the land their ancestors had farmed for generations.
From the parish of Kilmorie in Skye, MacKinnon families boarded ships to Nova Scotia in the 1820s and 1830s. They settled in Cape Breton Island, where Gaelic was still spoken in living memory. Communities around Baddeck, Inverness County, and Christmas Island in Cape Breton were home to McKinnon families for generations. Some kept the old songs and the Gaelic language alive well into the 20th century — a living connection to the Skye their grandparents left behind.
Others sailed further. MacKinnons settled in the Carolinas, in Georgia, and in Australia’s Victoria and New South Wales. They carried their name — and in many cases their Gaelic traditions — with them. Tracing these emigrant lines is very possible today. Our heritage trip planning guide shows you how to connect the records to the landscape.
Where to Visit MacKinnon Country in Scotland
Castle Maol (Caisteal Maol), Kyleakin, Isle of Skye — The ruin of the MacKinnon stronghold is free to visit. It stands beside the Skye Bridge. From Kyleakin village, it is a short walk along the shore. Go at low tide for the best views.
Iona Abbey, Isle of Iona — The restored abbey is one of Scotland’s most moving places. Take the ferry from Fionnphort on Mull. Walking the same ground that MacKinnon abbots once tended is a powerful experience. Allow a full day.
Fairy Pools, Glenbrittle, Isle of Skye — Deep in old MacKinnon territory, these natural pools beneath the Cuillin range are breathtaking. Allow two to three hours for the walk from the car park. Wear good boots.
Strathaird Peninsula, Isle of Skye — The quiet south-east corner of Skye. Far fewer visitors come here than to Portree or the Quiraing. This is the true heart of MacKinnon land. The village of Torrin sits on Loch Slapin with views of the Cuillin — a special spot.
National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh — For genealogy research, the Old Parish Records for Skye are held here. Search the parishes of Kilmorie, Strath, Bracadale, and Duirinish. These cover the main MacKinnon areas. You can also search many records online at ScotlandsPeople before your trip. Our 7-day Scottish ancestry itinerary can help you plan the full trip.
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FAQ: Scottish Surnames of Clan MacKinnon
What does the name MacKinnon mean?
MacKinnon comes from the Gaelic Mac Fhionghuin, meaning “son of Fionnghuin.” The root words are fionn (white or fair) and guin (warrior or born). The name roughly translates as “son of the fair warrior.” McKinnon and MacKinnon are the same name with different spellings.
Where did Clan MacKinnon come from?
Clan MacKinnon originated on the Isle of Skye, with their main stronghold at Castle Maol in Kyleakin. They also held land on the Strathaird Peninsula and had connections to the Isle of Mull. The clan belonged to the Siol Alpin — the royal line descended from King Alpin of the Scots.
What is the MacKinnon clan tartan?
The MacKinnon modern tartan uses red, navy blue, green, and black. The red is the dominant colour and makes the tartan easy to recognise. There is also an ancient version with softer, muted tones, and a hunting tartan in more subdued greens. All three are registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans.
What sept names are associated with Clan MacKinnon?
The main sept names linked to Clan MacKinnon include Love (from the Gaelic Labhran), MacKinven, MacMorran, and Sherson. If your ancestors carried one of these names and came from the Hebrides or Argyll, it is worth researching the MacKinnon connection through Scottish parish records and clan society resources.
How can I trace my MacKinnon ancestry?
Start with the ScotlandsPeople website, which holds Old Parish Records for Skye going back to the 17th century. Search the parishes of Kilmorie, Strath, Bracadale, and Duirinish for MacKinnon births, marriages, and deaths. DNA testing through services such as AncestryDNA can also confirm clan connections. Our full step-by-step guide to tracing Scottish ancestry covers every record source available.