English
McElwain
McElwain comes from Scottish Gaelic Mac Gille Bheathain ‘son of the servant of (Saint) Beathan’, from beatha ‘life’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- ‘to live’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷeyh₃-‘to live’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷih₃wós‘alive’reconstructed
- Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*biwos‘alive, living’reconstructed
- Proto-Celtic, derivedc. 1300–800 BCE*biwotūts‘life’reconstructed
- Old Irishc. 600–900bethu‘life’
- Middle Irishc. 900–1200betha
- Scottish Gaelicmodernbeatha‘life’
- Scottish Gaelic, derivedmodernMac Gille Bheathain‘son of the servant of (Saint) Beathan’personal name representing diminutive of beatha
- EnglishtodayMcElwain
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷeyh₃-‘to live’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷih₃wós‘alive’reconstructed
- Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*biwos‘alive, living’reconstructed
- Proto-Celtic, derivedc. 1300–800 BCE*biwotūts‘life’reconstructed
- Old Irishc. 600–900bethu‘life’
- Middle Irishc. 900–1200betha
- Scottish Gaelicmodernbeatha‘life’
- Scottish Gaelic, derivedmodernMac Gille Bheathain‘son of the servant of (Saint) Beathan’personal name representing diminutive of beatha
- EnglishtodayMcElwain
The story
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Mac Gille Bheathain (‘son of the servant of (Saint) Beathan’), a personal name representing a diminutive of beatha (‘life’). Anglicized form of Irish Mac Giolla Bháin (‘son of the white-haired lad’), for which compare Kilbane.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- ‘to live’
biology, kidney, viable, vitamin, hygiene, revive, vitality, zodiac, anaerobic, quicken, quicksilver, quickness, biogenesis, wyvern, 57 more
through Proto-Indo-European *gʷih₃wós ‘alive’
quick, vital, couch, vivid, vive, vivacious, convivial, vivacity, 33 more
Today it means
name A surname.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- / McElwain