The spelling of the word "McCulloch" might seem a bit intimidating at first, but it's actually quite straightforward once you break it down. In IPA phonetic transcription, the word is pronounced as /məˈkʌlək/. The "Mc" at the beginning is a common prefix in Scottish and Irish surnames, while the "culloch" is a variation of the word "cullach," which means "dove" in Scottish Gaelic. So, put them together, and you have the surname "McCulloch," which means "son of the dove."
McCulloch refers to a Scottish surname, predominantly derived either from the Gaelic personal name "MacCulloch," meaning "son of the boar's lips," or from the Gaelic patronymic name "MacCuladh," meaning "son of the composer." The surname has English and Scottish origins and can be traced back to medieval times. As a given name, McCulloch is extremely rare, and it is primarily recognized as a surname.
The name McCulloch is associated with individuals or families who bear or carried this surname. It has been embraced by various notable figures throughout history, ranging from politicians, artists, and athletes, to entrepreneurs and academics.
In particular, the most renowned association connected to the name McCulloch is the case of McCulloch v. Maryland, which occurred in the United States in 1819. This landmark legal case involved the Second Bank of the United States and the state of Maryland, regarding the constitutionality of the state imposing a tax on the bank. The Supreme Court's ruling in favor of the bank, spearheaded by Chief Justice John Marshall, solidified the notion of implied powers of the federal government and bolstered the supremacy of federal law over state law.
Overall, McCulloch holds historical significance as a rare given name and is more commonly recognized as a surname connected to prominent families and the famous legal case of McCulloch v. Maryland.
The surname "McCulloch" is of Scottish origin. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name "MacCullaich", which means "son of Cullach". The Gaelic name "Cullach" is derived from "Cuileann" meaning "holly". Like many Scottish surnames, "McCulloch" was likely derived from a personal name of an ancestor, followed by the patronymic prefix "Mac" and eventually transformed into its current anglicized form.