Surname Mac Keefry - Meaning and Origin
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Mac Keefry: What does the surname Mac Keefry mean?
Mac Keefry is an Irish last name, derived from the Gaelic MacUigheafreeda. This surname originated from the 1200s in county Mayo, a province located in the northwest region of Ireland. During this time period, family names were derived from the chiefs of septs or the heads of clans or the original resident of the town, village or parish. In this case, Mac Keefry is derived from Uigheafryd, which is composed of the elements uighe meaning “promise” or “pledge” and freda meaning “peace”. Therefore, the surname Mac Keefry could be roughly translated into “peaceful promise” in English.
Historically, many people with the last name Mac Keefry were employed as land-holders, farmers, and even innkeepers in Ireland. Many clans of this surname also held titles over land. Further, Mac Keefry has become increasingly common as an American surname as many Irish immigrants settled in the United States after 1800. Today, the Mac Keefry surname can be found all around the world but most prominently in Great Britain, the United States, and Australia.
Order DNA origin analysisMac Keefry: Where does the name Mac Keefry come from?
The surname Mac Keefry is derived from the ancient Gaelic name Mac Rafaich, meaning ‘son of the red-headed one’. Mac Keefry is a relatively rare surname, with the vast majority of those who bear it living in Ireland. It is especially prominent in County Donegal and a few of the other westernmost counties of the Emerald Isle, including Derry and Sligo. Records show that Mac Keefrys lived in these areas as far back as the late 1700s. As Ireland’s population has significantly declined in the two centuries since then, it is likely that the Mac Keefry name has also decreased in prominence.
In modern times, the largest population of Mac Keefrys can be found in the United States. Many Irish immigrants made their way to cities like New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Philadelphia in the 19th century in search of a better life, and these places now have the highest concentration of Mac Keefrys. There are also clusters of Mac Keefrys in Australia and New Zealand as a result of Irish emigration before the turn of the 20th century.
The surname is not common in other parts of the world nor large metropolitan hubs, so it’s probably not a name you’ll hear very often. In fact, it might be challenging to find someone else with the last name in all but the most Irish-rich cities. Despite its rarity, the Mac Keefry name is still cherished and proudly passed down from generation to generation.
Variations of the surname Mac Keefry
The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Mac Keefry include Mac Kefry, MacKefry, Mac Gefry, MacKefie, MacKeefie, McCaffrey, Mac Cafferty, McCaffree, MacKaefry, Mac Kaifry, MacKeeffee, and MacKiefee.
Mac Keefry is an Irish surname that originated from the Gaelic name MacCaba, which translates to ‘son of the hound of battle'. This name was often anglicized to MacKefry, MacGefry, MacKefie, MacKeeffee, and MacKaefry to make it more accessible to English speaking locals.
The surnames MacCaiffery and MacCafferty both derive from the MacCaba family. The name McCaffrey originates from MacGodfreay, which has similar spelling and pronunciation to MacGefry, and MacKaifry may have been derived from the same name.
The surname MacKiefee is of French origin and was added when the surname was anglicized. It is believed to have been taken from the pre-10th century surname McMeece, which means ‘son of the beez’.
Today, the surname MacKeefry is still commonly used in Northern Ireland and Scotland, although its variants and spellings can be found all over the world.
Famous people with the name Mac Keefry
- Denise MacKeefry: American swimmer
- Jorja MacKeefry: New Zealand Actress
- Bill MacKeefry: Canadian radio DJ
- Brooke MacKeefry: British author
- Annie MacKeefry: Irish politician
- Ronan MacKeefry: Irish nationalist
- Dan MacKeefry: U.S. poet
- Kyle MacKeefry: American YouTuber
- Colin MacKeefry: Canadian businessman
- Heather MacKeefry: American author
- Abigail MacKeefry: English artist
- Matt MacKeefry: Australian musician
- Steve MacKeefry: British footballer
- Rob MacKeefry: German entrepreneur
- Maureen MacKeefry: Scottish political activist
- Sam MacKeefry: Welsh rugby union player
- Tom MacKeefry: Dutch tennis player
- Richard MacKeefry: Canadian speed skater
- Diarmuid MacKeefry: Irish rugby player
- Joe MacKeefry: Swiss journalist