The cain Surname
cain Name Meaning and History
- Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Iain, patronymic from Iain, one of the Gaelic forms of John. This name is found in many other spellings, including McCain, Kean, and McKean. In some cases it may also be a variant of Coyne.
- English: variant spelling of Cane.
- English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Caen in Calvados, France, named with the Gaulish elements catu ‘battle’ + magos ‘field’, ‘plain’.
- French (Caïn): from the Biblical name Cain (Hebrew Qayin), probably applied as a derogatory nickname for someone who was considered to be treacherous.
- Spanish (Caín): habitational name from a place called Caín in León.
Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4
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