Nevin is an Irish surname of Gaelic origin. It is an anglicized form of the older Irish name Mac Naoimhín, which means "son of Naomhán." The personal name Naomhán itself is a diminutive of naomh, the Irish word for "saint." Thus, Naomhán carries the endearing meaning "little saint."
The name Mac Naoimhín was traditionally found in counties Tyrone and Derry in Ulster. As many Gaelic surnames were anglicized during the 16th–17th centuries, Mac Naoimhín took the simplified form (Mac)Nevin, which was also often rendered as Nevin. The surname belongs to a class of Irish occupational or descriptive family names formed with the Mac prefix (meaning "son of") and a personal name or epithet.
Today, Nevin is found primarily in Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia, carried by descendants of the original Irish Gaels. The related surname MacNevin represents a direct retention of the original prefix.
- Meaning: Anglicized from Mac Naoimhín, "son of little saint"
- Origin: Irish Gaelic
- Category: Surname
- Predominant regions: Ireland (especially Ulster), English-speaking diaspora
Sources: Forebears — nevin-1