Re: McCathern's in Scotland

Very interesting and very helpful, but I'm not sure one can be quite so precise with the spelling.I have found more than 25 distinct spellings in my direct family genealogy, from McEachern, McEachron, McEchin, etc., to McCatherin, McCachern, McCachron, etc., etc.In a copy of a handwritten manuscript in which my ggg-grandfather deeded land to Rocky River Pres Church in Cabarrus Co, NC, the name appears to be McE at one place and McC at another!I believe much of the explanation for the variations in spellings in the US is from 1)phonic spelling which was common, and 2)difficulty in distinquishing between distinct letters in handwritten documents.I'm sure there are other explanations, too.
Thanks for the interest, time, and effort.Look forward to hearing more.