How do you spell that?
Like all things devised during a time of high illiteracy, the way of spelling your name drastically varied! So if you can imagine an ignorant government official being dispatched to a far flung community to record official records. You are born under one written name, possibly married under another and buried under a possible third! Join the army your records may show diverse spellings of your name,it all rested on the interpretation of the record keepers ear ...
Cleiland Cleland Clelend Clelland Clellend Clenel Cliland Gilelin Gilfalyn Gilfelan Gilfillan Gilfillane Gilfillian Gilfolan Gilfulain Gilfulan Gilland Gillefalyn Gillefillane Gillefillian Gillfolan Gilleland Gillephillane Gillifelan Gillilan Gilliland Gillphillan Gilphillan Guileland Guililand Guilliland Guliland Gulliland Kneland MacClellan MacClelland MacGillelane MacGillfhaolain MacGilligan MacGilligin MacGillolane MacKillican MacKilligan MacKilligin MacKlellan MacKlellane MacKnellan MacLallen MacLelan MacLeland MacLelane MacLellan MacLelland MacLellane Maklellan Maklellane Maklolayn Makulikin McCleilane McClelan McClellan McClelland McClellane McGilelan McGillalane McGillelane McGillican McGilligain McGillolane McKelecan McKelegan McKillican McKillicane McKillichane McKilligane McKlellan McKlellane McLalen McLallen M'Cleallane McLelan McLeland McLelane McLellan McLelland McLellane McLolan McLolane M'Culican M'Culigan M'Culigin m'Culikan M'Culiken M'Giligan M'Gillelan M'Gulican M'Illeland M'Keelican M'Kilican M'Kilikin M'Killican M'Killigin M'Kulikan M'Lelane M'Lelann M'Lelen M'Lellane M'llelan M'lleolan M'Lolane
So which is correct?
The belief is the Clan origin is in the name MacGillifillan, meaning, Son of a follower or servant of Saint Fillan. While Fillan has the meaning of Wolf man!
The Clan title name is derived from the family seat of Castle MacLellan situated in Kirkcubright, Scotland.