Surname MacCallery - Meaning and Origin
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MacCallery: What does the surname MacCallery mean?
The last name MacCallery is of Scottish origin and is sometimes spelled MacCallery or MacCalley. It is derived from the Gaelic nickname MacCalley, meaning son of Calley, and is one of the most ancient surnames found in Scotland.
The first known to bear the surname MacCallery was William Mackalley, who was recorded in Scotland in 1419. The MacCallery Clan is associated with Clan Sutherland, whose roots originate from Scandinavia and the Orkney islands.
The MacCallery Clan is believed to have descended from Clachan of Creich, a region of Sutherland. As they moved to the west, the clan established lands and territories that stretched from the Conchra in the west, to the Dornoch and Alness rivers in the east.
Although the name MacCallery is no longer as prominent as it once was, it still has a strong presence in Scotland. People bearing the name MacCallery can still be found in the areas that were originally strongholds of the Clan.
The Clan was associated with a spirit of courage and a sense of clan pride. Clan members were loyal to their own, and fiercely protective of their lands and territories. They had a reputation for being brave and tenacious in the face of adversity.
The values of courage, loyalty and protection of those you love remain strong amongst people bearing the name MacCallery, even today.
Order DNA origin analysisMacCallery: Where does the name MacCallery come from?
The last name MacCallery is most commonly found today in countries of Irish and Scottish origin. In Scotland, the surname is found most prevalently in the Highlands, the Outer Hebrides, and the Isles of Scotland. In Ireland, MacCallery is found throughout the country, but is particularly prevalent in Ulster, Connacht, and Munster.
The earliest versions of the name can be traced to the 12th century, when the surname was spelled as "MacCalamy". Over the next few centuries, various permutations of the name - including MacCaulay, MacCauley, and MacCallery - cropped up in historical records.
Since the 1950s, many people with the surname MacCallery have emigrated away from Irish and Scottish shores. Significant numbers of people with the surname have settled in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The most recent records show that the countries with the highest prevalence of the surname are the United States (3,616 bearers of the name as of 2020), the United Kingdom (2,652), and Canada (1,638).
Outside of its traditional home countries, people with the name MacCallery are found in similar concentrations to that of those countries' major diasporas. In other words, there are generally pockets of concentrated populations bearing the surname, with those concentrations often reflecting the various branches of the Irish and Scottish diaspora.
Variations of the surname MacCallery
The surname MacCallery is an Irish surname whose roots trace back to northeast Ulster and the counties of Fermanagh and Tyrone in Northern Ireland. The most common variant of the surname is McCalley, though there are many other spellings and surnames of similar origin including Macalley, McCauley, McCally, McCole, McColl, McCaul, McCallum, McCollin, McCoill, and McCoul.
MacCallery is an anglicisation of the Gaelic MacDhamhaoil meaning “son of the persecuted one.” As such, many of the variants of the surname are predominantly found in the northern Irish counties Fermanagh and Tyrone, as well as Donegal in Republic of Ireland and in Scottish Borders, Dumfriesshire, and Kirkcudbrightshire.
MacCallery is also linked to the variant surnames MacDowall, MacDoal, MacDowell, MacDowell, and MacDouall which all share the same root family ancestors. Additionally, the surname is closely related to MacCauley and MacCawley and their many variants such as MacCardobrick, MacOrlock and McAnulty.
In Scotland, MacCallery is known as MacCola or McCulla which was used to describe a man from a royal family, while in Wales, it was used as MacCoole, McCool and McCooley. All of these are variants of MacCallery, and they can also be spelt as Makolay, Makola, Makolla, Mackolay, Makalay, McCoolay or Makoolay.
In summary, the surname MacCallery has a diverse set of variants, spellings and surnames of similar origin. This reflects its Irish roots, as well as its widespread use across Scotland, England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland.
Famous people with the name MacCallery
- Jenna MacCallery: Former Editor-in-Chief of Teen Vogue Magazine
- Maureen MacCallery: Former VP of Operations and Resource Management at Harvard Medical School
- Greg MacCallery: Actor and Comedian
- Tyler MacCallery: Recording Artist and YouTube Sensation
- Celeste MacCallery: Singer/Songwriter
- Tim MacCallery: Professional Baseball Player
- Glen MacCallery: Award-Winning Director and Producer
- Vince MacCallery: Hall of Fame Football Player
- Gordon MacCallery: Canadian Politician
- Ellen MacCallery: CEO and Co-Founder of Mission Measurement