Surname Macabee [Illinois/California/etc.] - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
Macabee [Illinois/California/etc.]: What does the surname Macabee [Illinois/California/etc.] mean?
The Macabee surname is of Scottish origin, with the first known record appearing in 1296 as Milic Mac Abee in the County of Lanark, Scotland. The name is derived from the Gaelic personal name "MacAbee" or "Mac an Aba," meaning "son of the abbot."
Macabees from the Clan MacAbee were hereditary historians and bards to the MacDonalds, once one of the most powerful and influential clans in Scotland. The family are thought to have many classically educated members and some were renowned singers and harpers.
The Macabees were historically found in Lanarkshire, Scotland, and Ulster, Ireland. By the 18th century, many Macabee families had emigrated to North America and today there are large numbers of Macabees in the United States, particularly in Illinois and California.
Today, the Macabee surname is still popular around the world and it is an honoured name in Scottish and Irish families. It is derived from an ancient Gaelic term meaning “son of the abbot”, and has a long, diverse history behind it. The Macabee family have a strong sense of pride in their name and identity, and cherish the courage and loyalty of their ancestors.
Order DNA origin analysisMacabee [Illinois/California/etc.]: Where does the name Macabee [Illinois/California/etc.] come from?
The last name Macabee is most common in the United Kingdom and its territories, Israel, and the United States. In the US, the highest concentration of Macabees is in Illinois and California. About 40% of all Macabees living in the United States reside in California, while nearly 20% are in Illinois. Other states where the name is common include New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Outside of the US, the name is most common in the United Kingdom, Israel, and Canada. The UK alone accounts for nearly 20% of all people with the last name Macabee across the globe. In Israel, the last name is most common in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa. Due to its Jewish origin, the name is also blended into many Israeli surnames, such as Macabi, Macabim, or Makovic.
In Canada, the last name is found in large concentrations in British Columbia and Ontario. In British Columbia, the highest concentration of the surname is in Vancouver, Toronto in Ontario, and Montreal in Quebec.
The name Macabee also appears in places such as Australia, the Netherlands, Austria, Ireland, the Czech Republic, and many other European countries. In these countries, the name is often used interchangeably with the name Makovic in order to preserve the name's Hebrew origin.
Variations of the surname Macabee [Illinois/California/etc.]
Macabee is a surname of Hebrew origin derived from the Hebrew word “maccabee”, which means “hammer”. It is also an old biblical name. In the United States, it is most common in the states of Illinois, Arizona, New Jersey, and California.
Common variants of the surname Macabee include Makabee, Macabey, Maccabee, MacCabey, Maccabee, Macaubey, Makabey, Makcabe, Makkabee, Mackabee, McCabey, McCaubey, McKaubey, McKeeby, Makaby, Makabye, and Macuy.
In addition to the variants listed, there are a few surnames of the same origin as Macabee that are not derived directly from the first name. These include Mccabie, McCawley, Mackausland, Maccubbin, Mackey, and McCleary.
There are also variants and spellings of Macabee that are not Islamically related. These include McCarthy (Gaelic/Irish), MacKay (Gaelic/Scottish), and Makdi (Indian).
While Macabee is a relatively uncommon surname, its variants, spellings, and other surnames of the same origin are much more common. These can be found across the United States, as well as other countries around the world.
Famous people with the name Macabee [Illinois/California/etc.]
- Rachel Macabe Brown: California, Riyad Rashid Macabe: California,
- C. William Macabee: Illinois.
- Matthew Macabee: California
- Sophia Macabee: California
- Joseph Macabee: Illinois,
- William J.Macabee: California,
- Andria Macabee: California,
- Caleb Macabee: California,
- Arnold Macabee: Illinois
- Steve Macabee: California
- John Macabee: California 12.Banner Macabee: Illinois
- Michael Macabee: Illinois
- Daniel Macabee: Illinois, 15.David Macabee: Illinois, 16.Jack Macabee: California
- Peter Macabee: California 18.Alice Macabee: Illinois 19.Joshua Macabee: California 20.Tamara Macabee: Illinois, 21.Reece Macabee: Illinois 22.Thomas Macabee: Illinois 23.Matthew Macabee: California 24.Bruce Macabee: California 25.Vincent Macabee: Illinois 26.Joseph Macabee: Illinois 27.Nelson Macabee: California