MCALLISTER Family History

This most interesting surname, with variant spellings Mac Alester, Mac Alister, Mac Allaster, Macc Allister, etc., derives from the Gaelic "Mac Alasdair", which translates as "son of (Mac) Alexander". Alexander comes from the Greek personal name "Alexandros", defender of men, from the Greek elements "Alexein", to defend, and "aner", man (andros) and nowhere is the name so thoroughly national as in Scotland, where is the name so thoroughly national as in Scotland, where it was introduced by Queen Margaret, wife of King Malcolm Canmore (1057-1093), from the Hungarian Court, where she was raised.