The Scottish surname McFarlane, also found in northern Ireland, is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Mac Pharthaláin, a patronymic from the personal name Parthalán, which is most probably from Latin Bartholomaeus, in English Bartolomew. The name was  introduced into Europe by the returning crusaders from the Holy land in the 12th century. The name is first recorded in Scotland in the 14th Century, and an early example is that of Andrew McFarland, who in 1577 was elected a Burgess of Glasgow. The development of the name has included Makfarlande in 1546, M'Farlen in 1603, and MacPharline in 1610. Examples taken from surviving church registers include Dugall McFarlane who married Helena Wallace at Cannongate, Edinburgh, on June 15th 1653, and Alexander McFarlan who was born on September 3rd 1730, also at Edinburgh.