Scottish Names Mc For Mac

Ewan J. Innes, MA(Hons Scot. Hist.) FSA Scot

1. Mc Vs Mac Irish Or Scottish
2. Scottish Names Mc For Mac Computers

Scottish and Irish patronymic surnames frequently have the prefix Mac or Mc. When these surnames were originally developed, they were formed by adding the Gaelic word, mac, which means son of, to the name of the original bearer's father, or to the father's trade. Things Scottish Mac surnames. Mac is from the Gaelic and means 'son'. M' and Mc are abbreviations and as such, are not included in the shop. Every reputable source states categorically, that Mac is the correct spelling. McCarthy is the only Mac/Mc name in the Irish top ten surnames, and MacDonald is the only one in the Scottish top ten. For family and professional reasons, Marilyn Monroe had a number of other.

© 1998

Mc Vs Mac Irish Or Scottish

Synopsis: This essay describes the reason why other than nineteenth century migration, there are no O' surnames in Scotland, but there are Mac surnames in Ireland. This debunks the myth that Mac is Scottish and Mc is Irish.

Please see my copyright policy if you wish to cite any part of this essay.

Firstly, it is complete and utter nonsense that Mac and Mc indicate Scottish or Irish origins. They are both EXACTLY the same word, the Mc is actually the abbreviated form of Mac (and sometimes meic) and was usually written M'c (sometimes even M') with the apostrophe indicating that the name has been abbreviated (there are many other characters indicating abbreviation including two dots under the c).

There is however one distinction you can make as far as differentiating between a name being Scottish or Irish. If it is an O' name it is always Irish (those in Scotland are mostly nineteenth century emigrations), but if it is a mac, mc or other variation it can be both Scottish or Irish!

The background:

Kings & Kindreds

Irish legal tracts of the fifth century recognise 3 grades of kingship:

rí túathe - ruler of kindred

rí túath - Overlord of other kindreds

- also ruire (ro aire)

rí ruirech - king of overkings

- also rí cóicid - king of a fifth (e.g.. king of Munster)

The above grades are purely legal, in the Irish annals they are simply described as rí - you were supposed to know as you read the annal which grade a particular king belonged to. There was no legal office of ard rí (high king), this was a fiction of tenth and eleventh century historians trying to place the Úi Néill as overlords of everybody.

What's In A Name

This early society was anything but static, new kindreds rose as old ones vanished in name. The names given to kindreds were always in two parts, with the first always denoting kinship.

In the early historical period (c.AD400) a new term comes into use for kindred naming Úi. This is in turn replaced by cenél and, around the tenth century in Ireland, by clann (a little later in Scotland - the first being MacDuff in the eleventh century). The sixteenth century saw this replaced in both Ireland and Scotland by cinneadh.

The second element of a kindred name was always an historical figure and almost always male.

The Úi Néill An Example In Naming Patterns.

Around AD400, the Dàl Cuinn (kindred of Conn) led by Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the nine hostages) began to expand at a rapid rate, as they do so they get a new name the Úi Néill.

The Úi Néill begin to move north and takeover much of northern and middle Ireland. The northern and southern branches then split into new kindreds all said to be named after sons of Niall and each one representing a tuath with a king. As a group one will be overking of the rest and be king of the northern or southern Úi Néill. The king of the northern or southern Úi Néill would also be king of the whole Úi Néill kindred.

What does the term Cenél Eogain mean?

Very few of them at the beginning of the sixth century can be direct descendents of Eogain, therefore they were people from the kindred which Eogain and family ruled over.

What happens to the people into whose territory they expand?

In many cases, they become so weak that they are absorbed into the incoming kindred, in others they remain in being but are subordinated to the incoming kindred. For instance the Airginalla were a subordinate kindred under the northern Úi Néill and were known as the 'hostage givers'. Some of the kindreds within the Airginalla became professional soldiers, indeed one the Úi macc-Uais were the main fighting arm of the Úi Néill.

So what has this to do with Scotland?

The kingdom of Dàl Riata established by the expansion from the kingdom of Dàl Riata on the Ulster coast across to the west coast of Scotland around the 500s, consisted of three kindreds:

Cenél nGabrain (Gabrain died in 558)

Cenél Loairn

Cenél nOengusa

As you can see there were no Úi kindreds, therefore the expansion of Dàl Riata into Scotland came after the Cenél naming pattern became productive.

Addressing your Rí

Around the tenth century there were two forms of address for the rí.

The first structured like Donald son of X son of X in Gaelic was Donald ua Donald. The ua would later become O' in Ireland.

The alternative form of ua was Donald mac meic Donald or Donald son of the son of Donald. Meic Donald would later became the form of address. Both ways existed in Scotland and Ireland, but this latter was most common in Scotland.

By the twelfth century the following structure is seen in the address of the rí:

The use of surnames came very late to Scotland, because of this, the period where the form O' had been productive was past, and the form mac was used instead.

THIS IS WHY OTHER THAN NINETEENTH CENTURY MIGRATION, THERE ARE NO O' SURNAMES IN SCOTLAND, BUT THERE ARE MAC SURNAMES IN IRELAND.

McCormick is a family name that originated in Ireland, Munster^[2] and later Scotland from the Irish given name. Spelling variations: Cormack, MacCormack, McCormack, McCormick, MacCormick, Carmack, Cormac, Cormach, Cormich and Cormiche. It comes from the first name of the original bearer. A person whose father was named Cormac would identify as Mc (i.e. 'son of') Cormac; the combination was continued as the family name by subsequent generations.

Cormac is translated literally as 'Charioteer, Warrior' in old Irish. The name was a very popular choice of names by parents in medieval times: this was due to the influences of the Saint of the same name. Saint Cormac Cormac mac Cuilennáin was the first Bishop of Cashel, an important diocese in the south of Ireland. Cashel was also the King of Munster and responsible for a famous book of Psalms, the Cashel Psalter, he died in battle in AD 908. See also earlier Irish saint Cormac of Armagh. In those days the McCormack was the name of a powerful Sept (Clan or Family) in the county of Longford,^{[citation needed]}Cormac mac Airt, a semi-historical Irish high king who ruled from Tara ca. 227–266 AD. Cormac, son of Cabhsan, was the first chieftain to be called Cormack, and, of course, MacCormack came later as a direct descendant, Mac or Mc signifying the 'son of'.

In 1576, 1598 and 1600, MacCormicks are recorded as leading gentry in County Cork^[3] and one, of Muskerry, was influential enough to raise a large force to assist Desmond in the Elizabethan wars. The Annals of the Four Masters record the deaths of several prominent MacCormicks of County Fermanagh; the last of these died in 1431.

Scottish Names Mc For Mac Computers

Another possible derivation of the name is that it comes from the Gaelic Mac Cormaic which comes from corb and mac meaning 'Ravenson'.^[4]

Mac, Mc prefix[edit]

Scottish and Irish patronymic surnames frequently have the prefix Mac or Mc. When these surnames were originally developed, they were formed by adding the Gaelic word, mac, which means son of, to the name of the original bearer's father, or to the father's trade.

Business[edit]

• Cyrus McCormick (1809–1884), US inventor and businessman
• Daniel McCormick (1739/40-1834), Irish-born US businessman and banker
• Harold Fowler McCormick (1872–1941), US businessman, son of Cyrus McCormick
• Joseph B. McCormick, head of a branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• L. Hamilton McCormick (1859–1934), US inventor and businessman, nephew of Cyrus McCormick
• Leander J. McCormick (1819–1900), US businessman and philanthropist
• Richard D. McCormick (b. 1940), US businessman
• Robert Hall McCormick (1780–1846), US inventor, father of Cyrus McCormick
• Robert R. McCormick (1880–1955), US newspaper publisher
• William McCormick (b. 1939), US businessman and government ambassador
• William Sanderson McCormick (1815–1865), US businessman, brother of Cyrus McCormick

Education[edit]

• Bruce H. McCormick (1928–2007), US professor of computer scientist at Texas A&M University
• Charles T. McCormick (1889–1963), US professor of law and Dean at The University of Texas, the University of North Carolina, and Northwestern University
• John McCormick (b. 1954), professor of Political Science at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
• Marie McCormick, the Sumner and Esther Feldberg Professor of Maternal and Child Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Richard L. McCormick (b. 1947), US professor and university administrator at Rutgers University and the University of Washington
• Samuel McCormick (1858–1928), US professor and administrator of the University of Pittsburgh

Entertainment[edit]

• Carolyn McCormick (b. 1959), US film and television actress
• F. J. McCormick (1889–1947), Irish theater and film actor
• Gayle McCormick (1948–2016), American singer, member of the band Smith
• Haley McCormick (bc. 1985), American television and film actress
• Jill McCormick (b. 1977), US fashion model
• Larry McCormick (1933–2004), US television personality
• Lisa McCormick (f. 1990–2000s), US singer and songwriter
• Malcolm McCormick (1992–2018), birth name of Mac Miller, American rapper and singer
• Matt McCormick (f. 1990–2000s), US film producer and director
• Maureen McCormick (b. 1956), US television and film actress
• Megan McCormick (b. 1973), US television personality
• Pat McCormick, US film actor and screenwriter
• Pat McCormick (f. 1950-1980s), US television personality
• Peter Dodds McCormick (1834?–1916), Australian songwriter, composer of Australian anthem
• Robert 'Mack' McCormick (1930–2015), US musicologist and folklorist
• Sierra McCormick (b. 1997), US film actress

Fiction[edit]

• Dan McCormick, fictional character in the film Man Made Monster
• Kenny McCormick, fictional character in the animated series South Park.
• Helen and Bartley McCormick, fictional characters in The Cripple of Inishmaan (play by Martin McDonagh)

Law[edit]

• Andrew Phelps McCormick (1832–1916), US federal judge
• John E. McCormick ( 1924–2010), Longest serving Wisconsin circuit judge and Wisconsin State Assemblyman

Literature[edit]

• Malky McCormick (b. 1943), Scottish cartoonist and caricaturist

Navy[edit]

• Alexander McCormick, Jr. (1897–1918), US pilot in World War I
• Robert McCormick (explorer) (1800–1890), British Royal Navy surgeon, explorer and naturalist
• Lynde D. McCormick (1895–1956), Four-Star Admiral, Commander in Chief of the United States Atlantic Fleet, First supreme allied commander of all NATO forces in the Atlantic

Politics[edit]

• C. L. McCormick (1919–1987), Illinois politician and businessman
• Dale McCormick (b. 1947), US senator from Maine
• George M. McCormick (1841–1913), Illinois state senator
• Henry C. McCormick (1839–1902), US Representative from Pennsylvania
• Hope Baldwin McCormick (1919–1993), US member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
• James Robinson McCormick (1824–1897), US Representative from Missouri
• Joseph Medill McCormick (1877–1925), US Representative and Senator from Illinois
• Larry McCormick (b. 1940), Canadian Member of Parliament
• Norma McCormick (b. 1944), Canadian Member of the Legislative Assembly
• Richard Cunningham McCormick (1832–1901), Governor of Arizona Territory and US Representative from New York
• Robert Sanderson McCormick (1849–1919), US diplomat
• Ruth Hanna McCormick (1880–1944), US Representative from Illinois
• Terri McCormick, US member of the Wisconsin Assembly

Sports[edit]

• Andrew McCormick (b. 1967), New Zealand-born Japanese rugby player
• Bob McCormick, Scottish footballer
• Chas McCormick (b. 1995), US baseball player
• Cody McCormick (b. 1983), Canadian ice hockey player
• Daniel McCormick (b. 1986), US Olympic judoka
• Debbie McCormick (b. 1974), Canadian-born US curler
• Ernie McCormick (1906–1991), Australian cricketer
• Fergie McCormick (b. 1939), New Zealand rugby player
• Frank McCormick (1911–1982), US baseball player
• Hugh J. McCormick (1854–1911), Canadian speed skater, World Professional Speed Skating Champion 1890–92
• Jim McCormick (1856–1918), Scottish-born US baseball player
• Jim McCormick (1884–1959), US football player
• Judy McCormick, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
• Kelly McCormick (b. 1960), US diver
• Luke McCormick (b. 1983), English footballer
• Mike McCormick (b. 1938), US baseball player
• Moose McCormick (1881–1962), US baseball player
• Nick McCormick (b. 1981), English long distance runner
• Pat McCormick (b. 1930), US diver
• Stan McCormick (f. 1940-1970s), English rugby player and coach
• Steve McCormick (b. 1969), Scottish footballer
• Tim McCormick (b. 1962), US basketball player
• Tom McCormick (1930–2012), American football halfback for the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers
• Tom McCormick (boxer) (1890–1916), welterweight boxer of the 1910s

Other[edit]

• Arthur David McCormick (1860–1943), British artist
• Edith Rockefeller McCormick (1872–1932), US socialite and opera patron
• Katherine McCormick (1875–1967), US biologist, suffragette, philanthropist
• John Wesley McCormick (1754–1837), early US settler in Indiana
• Malky McCormick, Scotland's best known cartoonist and caricaturist
• Nancy Fowler McCormick (1835–1923), US philanthropist. Widow of Cyrus McCormick
• Ricky McCormick (1958–1999), a man who died mysteriously. Found in St. Charles, Missouri with two encrypted notes

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^'Surname Database: McCormick Last Name Origin'. The Internet Surname Database.
2. ^https://www.houseofnames.com/mccormack-family-crest
3. ^Robert Bell, Book of Ulster Surnames (Blackstaff Press/October 1989 ISBN0-85640-416-0
4. ^'Mccormick Name Meaning & Mccormick Family History at Ancestry.com'. www.ancestry.com.