# McAllister (surname)

McAllister is a surname from Scotland and Ireland that originates from the Gaelic name Mac Alasdair, meaning son of Alasdair. Alasdair is the Gaelic form of the first name Alexander.

## Surname origins
### Scottish origins

The McAllisters for the greater part owe their ancestry to the Scottish Clan Donald. The name is derived from the personal name Alexander and is believed to have been introduced to Scotland by Queen Margaret, wife of King Malcolm Canmore (1057-1093), from the Hungarian Court, where she was raised.

### Arrival in Ireland

Some McAllisters later moved to Ulster as gallowglasses (from Irish: Gallóglaigh meaning foreign warriors) on a seasonal basis at the invitation of the MacDonnells. In Ireland today, the greatest numbers of the name are to be found in Counties Antrim, Armagh, Down, Londonderry, Fermanagh, and Dublin, otherwise the name is widely dispersed.
The MacAllisters spread into the north of Ireland early on; some families of this clan were established there by the 14th century. And a considerable number followed the MacDonalds of Dunyvaig to Antrim after that clan lost its Scottish lands in the 1600s.
Like the MacDonalds, the MacAllisters were seen as "uncivilised Gaels" and were not considered appropriate candidates for the Ulster Plantations therefore, are not among the group now known as Ulster-Scots (or Scotch-Irish).

## Common spellings

The McAllister surname has many different spellings due to immigration. Some of the common spellings are
* McAlister
* McAllister
* McCallister
* McCalister
* McAlaster
* McAlester
* McAlister
* McAllaster
* McAllester
It is agreed upon that all bearers of the 'McAllister' surname and its derivatives share a common ancestor, which historians believe to be Somerled.

## McAllister demographics

| Religious adherence in Ireland | Percentage |
| Catholic | 50% |
| Presbyterian | 30% |
| Anglican | 20% |
Sample size: 1,530 (1901). It is likely that these figures have changed significantly. In recent times, the religious adherence of those bearing the McAllister last name is predominantly Catholic in Ireland.

## List of people with the surname

* Alastair McAllister (born 1942), Australian harpsichord builder
* Alex W. McAllister, American politician; mayor of Huntsville, Alabama
* Anna McAllister (1888–1961), American historian of Catholic women's history
* Anne McAllister, American writer of romance novels
* Billy McAllister (1907–1984), Australian boxer of the 1920s and '30s
* The Mac Allister family of Argentine footballers:
** Carlos Mac Allister (born 1968), also a politician
** Francis Mac Allister (born 1995), oldest son
** Kevin Mac Allister (born 1997), middle son
** Alexis Mac Allister (born 1998), youngest son
* Colin McAllister (born 1968), Scottish interior designer
* Craig McAllister (born 1980), Scottish footballer
* David McAllister (born 1971), German politician
* David McAllister (dancer) (born 1963), artistic director of The Australian Ballet
* David McAllister (footballer) (born 1988), Irish association footballer for Stevenage
* Deuce McAllister (born 1978), American football player
* Edith McAllister (1918—2018), American civic leader and philanthropist
* Gary McAllister (born 1964), Scottish international footballer, manager
* Ian McAllister (born 1943), Scottish businessman
* Ian McAllister (political scientist) (born 1950), Irish-British-Australian professor of political science, Australian National University
* Jamie McAllister (born 1978), Scottish international footballer
* Jenn McAllister (born 1996), American YouTube personality
* Jim McAllister (1944–2013), Irish activist and politician
* John D. T. McAllister (1827–1910), Utah Pioneer and Mormon Leader
* Kevin McAllister (born 1962), Scottish footballer
* Mary E. McAllister, North Carolina state Representative
* Matthew McAllister (1758–1823), American lawyer and politician
* Matthew Hall McAllister (1800–1865), American judge
* Nuala McAllister, Northern Irish politician
* Randy McAllister, American blues and Americana musician
* Rita McAllister, Scottish musicologist
* Rod McAllister (born 1961), British architect
* Rory McAllister (footballer) (born 1987), Scottish footballer
* Ryan McAllister (born 1978), Canadian singer/songwriter.
* Sam J. McAllister (1904–1975), American college sports coach
* Samuel McAllister, American Medal of Honor recipient
* Sean McAllister (born 1987), English footballer
* Sean McAllister (filmmaker) (born 1965), British documentary filmmaker
* Sport McAllister (1874–1962), American baseball player
* Sue McAllister, British Director General
* Timothy McAllister (born 1962), American musician
* Vance McAllister (born 1974), member of the United States House of Representatives from Louisiana, 2013–2015
* Ward McAllister (1827–1895), American socialite
* Ward McAllister Jr. (1855–1908), American lawyer and judge
* William K. McAllister (1818–1885), American jurist
* Lonnie Michael "Mike" McAllester (1955-2020), former Chief of Police of Mineral Wells, Texas.

## List of fictional characters with the surname

* Angharad McAllister from the soap opera Emmerdale
* Jessica McAllister from the soap opera Emmerdale
* John Peter McAllister, Korean War Veteran and ninja master, from the NBC show, The Master (American TV series)
* Kevin McCallister from the film series Home Alone
* C. W. McAllister, a one-time character of The Simpsons (in the King of the Hill episode)
* Sergeant Thomas McAllister from the TV series Strike Back (series 6–8)
* Sheriff Thomas McAllister from the TV series The Mentalist who turned out to be the serial killer Red John
* Darryl McAllister from the book series Young Wizards
* Jack McAllister from the TV Series Waterloo Road (TV series)