Surname MacCaghey - Meaning and Origin
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MacCaghey: What does the surname MacCaghey mean?
The last name MacCaghey is an Irish name of Gaelic origin. The root of this surname is Mac Aodhagain, which means "son of Aodhagain", where Aodhagain is derived from the personal name Aodh, which is a variant of Aed. Aed is a name derived from the Old Irish word 'aidh', meaning ‘fire’. Historically, this name was given to people with a fiery relationship with their peers.
MacCaghey is associated with County Fermanagh, located in Northern Ireland. This region is home to some of the oldest Gaelic families, including the MacCaghey family. Currently, there are numerous variations of the MacCaghey surname, including Maciquette, Mackeaghey, and Mackeague. In recent years, this surname has spread to other parts of the world, mainly to the United States, Canada, and Australia.
The MacCaghey family is rooted in a rich historical background, with its destination to Fermanagh being documented as far back as the 16th century. During the 17th century, many families chose to immigrate to North America and bring their surname with them. Over time, the MacCaghey name has come to symbolize courage, strength, and loyalty, and it is representative of the many generations of families who have proudly carried it throughout history.
Order DNA origin analysisMacCaghey: Where does the name MacCaghey come from?
The last name MacCaghey is most commonly found in Scotland and Ireland today. It is a variation of the surname ‘MacKeague’ or ‘MacGeoghegan’, so if you have Scottish or Irish ancestry, there’s a strong chance that you might have a MacCaghey ancestor in your family tree.
The MacCaghey surname is derived from the Irish Gaelic words ‘mac’ and ‘cathaigh’ and the Scots Gaelic words ‘mac’ and ‘càghaidh’, which both mean ‘son of battle’. This name originates from the Early Medieval period when warriors in Ireland and Scotland were given such battle-derived names.
The surname is also associated with a hereditary order in Scotland, the ‘MacCaghey Knighthood’, which was a noble family who descended from one of the Cenel Eoghain branches. MacCaghey were considerable landowners in Scotland in the 13th century, and the clan can trace their ancestry back to Clan MacKeague in Ireland.
The MacCaghey family is quite spread out today. With many variants of the name existing, it is likely that different branches of the family live in different places not just in Scotland and Ireland, but also around the world.
Variations of the surname MacCaghey
The surname MacCaghey is of Irish origin. It is an anglicised form of the Gaelic name MacCathmhaoil, which means 'son of the battle prince'. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Macaghey, MacCaughey, MacGaughey, MacCaghey and MacCaughy.
The most common spelling is MacCaghey, with many variations of the original name to be found in Ireland and among the descendants of Irish emigrants. The variant MacGaughey is derived from the original MacCathmhaoil, and is an adaptation that indicates how the name would have been pronounced in Irish.
Variations in spelling of the surname MacCaghey might include Macaghey, MacCaughey, MacGaughey, MacCaghey and MacCaughy. These variants occur frequently in county Donegal, the ancestral home of the original Irish Clan.
In some cases, the surname may have evolved to include McKay as a variant. It is believed that the 'Mc' in McKay is an Anglicized form of Mac meaning 'son of', and so McKay may be considered an anglicized form of MacCathmhaoil.
In other cases, the last name may have become completely changed over time, such as in the case of the variants Caughy and Caughey. The 'Caughy' variant was particularly popular in Scotland, where the original Irish name was heavily anglicized and adapted to fit local pronunciation.
In addition to the variations mentioned above, there are also variations such as MacCann, MacCoughy and MacCowley, which may be considered surnames of the same origin as MacCaghey.
Famous people with the name MacCaghey
- Luke MacCaghey: Australian singer, songwriter, and actor. He is best known for his lead roles in musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar, and Cats.
- Johnny MacCaghey: Actor and writer who is best known for his roles in films such as The Bank Job and The Holiday.
- Kevin MacCaghey: American actor, best known for his roles in the TV series Gotham and in the film In Bruges.
- Rachel MacCaghey: British actress, best known for her role in the British soap opera Hollyoaks.
- John MacCaghey: Retired American football player who played in the NFL from 1970-1980. He primarily played offensive guard.
- Patrick MacCaghey: British film producer and director, best known for his work on the award-winning films In Bruges and The Departed.
- George MacCaghey: Scottish poet and author, best known for his collection of poems, A Blackbird Sings.
- Michael MacCaghey: Former professional hockey player in the National Hockey League. He is best known for his role as a member of the Los Angeles Kings.
- Sarah MacCaghey: British actress, best known for her roles in films such as The Chronicles of Narnia and Muppets Most Wanted.
- Andrew MacCaghey: American film director, best known for directing the cult classic, Branded.