McAdams

McAdams is a surname of Scottish origin, commonly considered an Anglicized form of the Gaelic MacAdam, meaning “son of Adam.” The name originated as a patronymic in Scotland and Ireland and later spread to North America and other parts of the English-speaking world through waves of migration in the 18th to 20th centuries. The spelling McAdams is one of several variants of the name; other common forms include McAdam, MacAdam, and MacAdams.

Variants often reflect regional pronunciation and historical orthographic changes. In modern usage, individuals bearing the name McAdams can be found across the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, and the United States, with higher concentrations in areas settled by Scots and Ulster-Scots descendants.

Heraldry and genealogical notes: Coats of arms, if any, are associated with particular family lines and not shared universally by all McAdams bearers. Genealogical sources commonly note Scottish roots for many McAdams families, though branches may have independently migrated and diverged.

Notable use: The surname is carried by many people across public life, including figures in sports, academia, and the arts, as well as in fiction. As with many surnames of Scottish origin, McAdams can function as a marker of ancestral lineage and regional heritage.