McCullough is an Irish and Scottish surname with roots in Gaelic personal names. It is an Anglicized form of the Irish Mac Cú Uladh, meaning "son of Cú Uladh". The byname Cú Uladh translates to "hound of Ulster", a prominent reference in early Irish history and mythology, possibly alluding to the legendary hero Cú Chulainn, whose name similarly means "hound of Culann". Cú Uladh was itself a common given name in medieval Ireland. In some cases, the name has also been associated with Old Irish cullach "boar", adopting Anglicized forms like McCulloch in Scotland, particularly Galloway, where it is linked to Clan MacCulloch.Notable BearersAlfred McCullough (born 1989), American football playerAndrew McCullough (born 1990), Australian Rugby League playerBernie Mac (born Bernard Jeffrey McCullough, 1957–2008), American actor and comedianColleen McCullough (1937–2015), Australian author of The Thorn BirdsDavid McCullough (1933–2022), American historian and authorJulie McCullough (born 1965), American actressRobert McCullough (born 1975), Irish musician known as Ive