Mac an Fleisdeir is a Scottish Gaelic surname, an ancient patronymic form of Lister, meaning "son of the arrow maker." The name is rooted in the Gaelic tradition of prefixing "Mac" (son of) to an ancestor's occupation or characteristic. In this case, the base element derives from the word "fleasdair" or a similar term referring to a maker of arrows (often anglicized as "Lister" or "Lester"). Paul Temper of medieval Scotland would have carried such names based on their skill in crafting arrows—a vital trade for both hunting and warfare.
The surname remains rare today, with most historical usage restricted to the Highland and Western Isles regions of Scotland, where Gaelic naming conventions persisted longest. Like many Mac-prefixed names, Mac an Fleisdeir underwent various anglicized spellings over centuries, including Lister and Lester, which are now far more common—particularly Lister, which emerged as a separate surname in English-speaking contexts without the Gaelic marker. The later simplified form Lester reflects Norman or English adaptations of the same vocative sense.
Forebears data shows minimal global distribution for Mac an Fleisdeir today, consistent with its contraction into forms like Lister among Scottish diaspora populations.
Sources: Forebears — mac-an-fleisdeir