Alphabetical List of Irish Names: Mac
Irish Surnames | A-B | C | D | E-G | H-J | K-L | Mac | M-N | O | P-R | S-W
Irish Roots Search Engine
| Name | Variants | In Irish | Location | Origin | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacAuley | McCauley, McAwley, Cawley, Magawley. | Mac Amhalghaidh | Cork, Fermanagh, Westmeath. | Gaelic | Mac Amhalghaidh means "son of Auley", once important Gaelic Lords. |
| MacAuliffe | MacAmhlaoibh | Cork | Norse | From the Norse name "Olaf". | |
| MacBride | McBride | MacGiolla Brighde | Donegal, | Gaelic | Means "son of the servant of St. Brigid". |
| MacCabe | McCabe | Mac Cába. | Cavan, Leitrim | Scots-Gaelic | "Caba" means "hat or cap". The family originally came from Scotland to serve as Gallowglasses (a type of mercenary soldier) to Irish lords. Their name may come from their wearing of distinctive hats. |
| MacCann | Canny, McCann | MacAnnadh | Armagh, Ulster | Gaelic | Related to the O'Neills of Ulster |
| MacCarthy | McCarthy | MacCarthaigh | Widespread | Gaelic | Descendents of Carthac, a 12th century chieftain. |
| MacCormack | McCormick | MacCormaic | Widespread | Gaelic | Means "son of Cormac", not descended from a single Cormac - it was a common name. |
| MacCullagh | Cully, MacNully | Mac Con Uladh | Antrim, Down, Ulster | Scots-Gaelic | Means "Son of the hound" Known in Scotland as MacCulloch. |
| MacDermot | MacDermott, Kermode. | MacDiarmada | Roscommon, Sligo | Gaelic | Means "Son of Dermot". Dermot was a 12th century King of Moylurgh, a place now known as Coolavin, in Sligo. |
| MacElroy | McElroy | MacGiolla Rua | Fermanagh, Leitrim | Gaelic | Means "son of the red haired man". |
| MacEvoy | McAvoy, McEvoy | MacGuiollabhuidhe Mac A Buidhe | Laois, Louth | Gaelic | May mean "woodsman"; or, "yellow (blonde?) son". |
| MacGee | Magee, MacKee, McKee | Mac Aodha | Antrim, Armagh, Down. | Gaelic | Means "son of Aodh (Hugh)". |
| MacGill | Magill | Mac An Ghaill | Ulster | Means "son of the foreigner". A foreigner could also simply mean a stranger. | |
| MacGovern | MacGowran, McGovern, McGowran | Mac Samhrain | Cavan, Fermanagh, Leitrim | Gaelic | Means "son of Samhradh (summer)". |
| McGowan | Gowan, Smith | MacGhabhann | Cavan, Leitrim, Monaghan, Ulster | Gaelic | Means "son of the smith". The same origin as the English name Smith, to which is was sometime anglicised. |
| MacGrath | Magraw, MacGraw, Magrath, McGrath, McGraw. | MacRaith | Clare, Donegal, Fermanagh, Limerick. Widespread. | Gaelic | Means "son of Raith"; raith also means "wealth", so it may mean "son of the wealthy man". |
| MacHugh | MacCoy, McKee, Hughes, MacKay, McHugh, Hewson | MacAoda | Donegal, Fermanagh, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo | Gaelic | Means "son of Hugh", so is a related name to McGee, above. |
| MacInerney | Macnairney, Mcnerney, McInerney | Mac An Airchinnigh | West of Ireland | Gaelic | |
| MacKenna | MacCionaoda | Cavan, Monaghan, Ulster. | Gaelic | Means "son of Cionaoid". | |
| MacLoughlin | O'Loghlen, MacLaughlin, McLaughlin | MacLochlainn | Clare, Derry, Donegal, Meath. | Gaelic | |
| MacMahon | Mahon, McMahon, Mohan, Vaughn | MacMathuna, Mac Mathghamhna | Gaelic | Means "son of a bear", presumably a large or strong man. | |
| MacManus | MacMaghnuis | Fermanagh, Roscommon | Norse | Derived from the Norse or Viking name Magnus. | |
| MacNally | McNally, Macannally, Nally | Mac an Fhailghigh | Armagh, Mayo, Monaghan. | Gaelic | Means "son of the poor man". |
| MacNamara | McNamara | MacNamara | Clare, Limerick | Gaelic | Means "son of the sea hound". |
| MacNulty | McNulty, Nulty | Mac An Ultaigh | Mayo, Ulster | Gaelic | Means "son of Ulster". |
| MacQuaid | McQuaid, McQuaide, MacWade, McWade | Mac Uaid | Ulster | Gaelic | Means "son of Uaid (Walter)". |
| MacQuillan | McQuillan | MacCoilin or MacUighlilin | Ulster | Gaelic | Means "son of little Hugh" and refers to Hugeli de Mandeville a Norman-Welsh lord who arrived in Ireland in the 12th century. |
| MacSweeney | McSweeney, MacSwiney, Sweeney, Sweeny | Cork, Donegal. | Gaelic | Means "son of the pleasant man". The Donegal branch are of Scots Gaelic origin. | |
| MacKowen | McKown, McKeon, MacKeown. | MacEoghain | Gaelic | "Eo" means "Yew Tree", but may not be relevant. Eoghan is one of several Irish versions of John, so it may just mean "Eoghan's son". | |
| MacGinn | Maginn, McGinn, MacGinne | Mac Fhinn | Armagh, Down, Tyrone | Gaelic | Means "Finn's son". |
Enjoy this Article? Tell a Friend! | Bookmark This Article:
