This interesting surname of Scottish origin with variant spellings Mac Keon, Mac Keown, Mac Koun, Mac Kuenn, Mac Kune, McKune, etc., derives from "Mac Eoghain" meaning "son of" plus the personal name "Ewen", itself coming from the given name "John" from the Hebrew Yochanan "Johovah has favoured (me with a child)". The surname dates back to the early 16th Century, (see below). Further recordings include one John Makcune in Auchincheand, Galloway who had a precept of remission in 1535 "The Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland", and another John Makcune was occupier of the 20s. land of Balleballoch, Carrick (1538) "The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland". Church recordings include one John McKeune who married Anna glen on March 16th 1660 in Edinburgh, John, son of John and Mary McCuen, was christened on May 15th 1696 also in Edinburgh, and Jane Elizabeth, daughter of John and Jemima McKeun, was christened on June 23rd 1839 at St. George in the East, Stepney. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Ninian M'Keun, witness, which was dated 1513, Lanarkshire, Scotland, during the reign of King James V of Scotland, 1513 - 1542. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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