McFarland, is a variation of MacFarlane that became popular in northern Ireland, but can be found worldwide. The home of the MacFarlane clan is the parish of Arrochar at the head of Loch Lomond and Loch Long at the beginning of the western Highlands in Scotland. This area was granted by feudal charter to one of the younger sons of the second earl of Lennox in 1286. The history of this exchange is found in an old Celtic genealogy of Duncan, the eighth Earl of Lennox, who was executed in 1425. According to genealogical accounts, the first Earl of Lennox was Alwyn, followed by his son, also named Alwyn, in 1199 as the second Earl. This Alwyn had many sons, the eldest being Maldouen, the third Earl, who granted his younger brother, Gilchrist, the lands of Arrochar. Gilchrist's son Malduin was father to Parlan. In 1344, Parlan's son, Malcolm MacPharlain, renewed the charter for the lands of Arrochar from Donald, the 6th Earl of Lennox. The spelling changed over many years and times. The earliest MacFarlanes in northern Ireland appeared in documents as "mcffarlan" but eventually McFarland became a dominant spelling there, and as men moved back and forth between Ireland and Scotland, the use of the "d" appeared in Scotland as well. In early America the spelling could be McFarlin, MacFarland, McFarlan, or McFarling. *

Alan McFarland Major (rank), Major Robert Alan McFarland (born 9 August 1949 in Plumbridge, County Tyrone) is an Independent Unionist politician in Northern Ireland, who was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for North Down (Assembly constituency), Nort ...

(born 1949), Northern Ireland Ulster Unionist Party politician and MLA for North Down *

Alexander McFarland Alexander McFarland (more commonly "McFarlan") was a Michigan politician and a prominent lumberman and businessman in Flint, Michigan.

(1812–1881), Michigan politician *

Anne Hazen McFarland Anne Hazen McFarland, M.D. (, McFarland; after first marriage, Cromwell; after second marriage, Sharpe; October 10, 1868 – December 13, 1930) was an American physician and medical journal editor. Early life and education Anne Hazen McFarland wa ...

(1868–?), American physician, medical journal editor * Anthony "Booger" McFarland (born 1977), American professional football player * Anthony McFarland Jr. (born 1999), American football player *

Arthur McFarland Arthur Lamont "Tiger" McFarland (July 7, 1874 – August 21, 1959) was an early professional American football player who played with the Greensburg Athletic Association as well as the Latrobe Athletic Association. He later played for the Philade ...

(1874–1959), American athlete and coach * Barrelhouse Buck McFarland (1903–1962), American blues and boogie-woogie pianist * Billy McFarland, Northern Irish loyalist paramilitary, leading figure in the Ulster Defence Association *

Billy McFarland (fraudster) William Z. McFarland (born 1991) is an American con artist and convicted felon who co-founded the ill-fated Fyre Festival. He defrauded investors of $27.4 million by marketing and selling tickets to the festival and other events. In 2013, McFarl ...

(born 1991), American tech entrepreneur *

Doug McFarland Douglas Dale McFarland (born July 18, 1946) is a professor emeritus at Hamline University School of Law, a Minnesota politician, and an author. Biography and Titles He was born in Portland, Oregon and grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He recei ...

(born 1946), American Politician/Hamline Professor; Minnesota *

Dylan McFarland Dylan McFarland (born July 11, 1980) is a former American football offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills in the National Football League (NFL) and the Hamburg Sea Devils in NFL Europa. After playing college football at the University of M ...

(born 1980), American professional football player *

Ernest McFarland Ernest William McFarland (October 9, 1894 – June 8, 1984) was an American politician, jurist and, with Warren Atherton, one of the "Fathers of the G.I. Bill." He is the only Arizonan to serve in the highest office in all three branches of Ariz ...

(1894–1984), American politician; U.S. Senator and Governor of Arizona *

Frank Mace MacFarland Frank Mace MacFarland (1869–1951) was an American malacologist associated with Stanford University in California. Born in Centralia, Illinois, MacFarland attended DePauw University (A.B. 1889), Stanford University (A.M., 1893) and the University ...

(1869–1951), American malacologist *

Gary McFarland Gary Robert McFarland (October 23, 1933 – November 3, 1971) was an American composer, arranger, vibraphonist and vocalist. He recorded for the jazz imprints Verve and Impulse! Records during the 1960s. '' Down Beat magazine'' said he made "one ...

(1933–1971), American musician, composer and arranger * George B. McFarland (1866–1942), Thai physician * George McFarland (1928–1993), American actor and singer who played "Spanky" in the ''Our Gang'' series * Graeme McFarland (born 1983), American Football Player, Indiana University *

Jack McFarland John Philip "Jack" McFarland is a fictional character on the American television sitcom ''Will & Grace'', played by Sean Hayes. Character overview Jack is Will Truman's (Eric McCormack) best friend in the American television sitcom Will ...

(born 1969), American politician * James T. McFarland (1930-2015), New York politician * Jim McFarland (1947-2020), American football player, politician, and lawyer * John McFarland (disambiguation), several people * Kathleen Troia McFarland (born 1951), American politician; Assistant Secretary of Defense 1982–1985, Deputy National Security Advisor of Donald Trump * Matthew W. McFarland, American judge *

Mark McFarland Mark M. McFarland (born February 1, 1978) is a former NASCAR driver who works for Kyle Busch Motorsports as the crew chief for their No. 18 car in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East. In 2021, he won championships in both series ...

(born 1978), American NASCAR race driver *

Michael C. McFarland Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. (born 1948) was the 31st president of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. He succeeded Acting President Frank Vellaccio on July 1, 2000, and was succeeded by Rev. Philip Boroughs, S.J. Biog ...

(born 1948), American academic; president of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts *

Mike McFarland Michael McFarland is an American voice actor and ADR director who works on English dubs of Japanese anime at Funimation. He is known as the original English voice of Master Roshi and Yajirobe in Funimation's dubs of ''Dragon Ball'' and ''Dragon ...

(born 1970), American actor, comedian, director, and writer *

Packey McFarland Patrick "Packey" McFarland (November 1, 1888 – September 22, 1936) was an American boxer in the lightweight and welterweight divisions. Despite an extraordinary winning record, he was unable to secure a match for either world title. The ' ...

(1888–1936), American boxer * Patrick McFarland (born 1951), American professional basketball player *

Roy McFarland Roy Leslie McFarland (born 5 April 1948) is an English former football manager and former player. With Derby County, he played 442 league games, helping him to earn 28 caps for England. Playing career Born in Liverpool, McFarland was a player f ...

(born 1948), English professional football manager *

Rebecca McFarland Rebecca McFarland (18 April 1973 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American mixed media portrait artist and actress. Early life McFarland grew up in New Orleans and attended Tulane University, where she graduated with a BA in theater. Caree ...

, American actress * T. J. McFarland (Timothy J. McFarland, born 1989), American baseball pitcher * Virgie McFarland (1877 - 1971), Scottish educator and writer * William McFarland (disambiguation), several people

Fictional characters

*Ambrose McFarland, fictional head of the coal company from the 2000 drama film ''

Songcatcher ''Songcatcher'' is a 2000 drama film directed by Maggie Greenwald. It is about a musicologist researching and collecting Appalachian folk music in the mountains of western North Carolina. Although ''Songcatcher'' is a fictional film, it is loosely ...

'', played by Steve Boles *Clementine McFarland, fictional wife of the head of the coal company from the 2000 drama film ''

'', played by

Rhoda Griffis Rhoda Griffis (born January 9, 1965) is an American actress who has played supporting roles both in independent and mainstream films and television. Life and career Griffis appeared onstage in ''Angels in America'', '' Proof'', '' Collected Sto ...

, fictional character from the sitcom ''Will & Grace''

References

{{surname, McFarland Anglicised Scottish Gaelic-language surnames