Surname MacCook - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
MacCook: What does the surname MacCook mean?
The surname MacCook is an anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic MacCuthaigh, derived from the personal name Cuthaigh. Cuthaigh is an old Gaelic name taken from the Old Irish word cuthach, which means 'hurtful', 'warlike', or 'valuable'.
The MacCook surname is most strongly associated with settlers of North America, particularly those of Scottish descent. However, there is evidence of the MacCook surname being present in Scotland for centuries. It is likely the surname was borne by a Highland-based family that found their way to the New World as a result of the Highland Clearances, when the Scottish government attempted to depopulate rural areas in their bid to make way for more profitable agricultural land.
The MacCook surname can be found predominantly in the United States and Canada. There is also evidence of the surname present in parts of the British Isles, particularly in Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland.
The MacCook surname is most likely to have been taken by people of Scottish ancestry as a nod to their heritage, but could also be found as a surname among those of Irish heritage, due to the similarities between the Irish and Scottish Gaelic languages.
MacCook can also be found as a given name, particularly in North America, likely as a result of being passed down through generations of the MacCook surname-bearing family. The given name MacCook usually carries masculine connotations, associated with strength power, and courage.
Order DNA origin analysisMacCook: Where does the name MacCook come from?
The last name MacCook is most commonly found in Scotland and Ireland. In Scotland, the surname MacCook is particularly common in the Highland region. It may also be found in the Lowlands and the Borders, as well as in Orkney and Shetland. MacCook is also among the most common surnames in Ireland, particularly in the provinces of Munster and Connacht.
The name MacCook is a Anglicization of the Gaelic name MacCuthaigh, meaning "the son of Cuthaigh”—Cuthaigh being an Irish Gaelic first name derived from the Latin word “coeus” meaning “wise” or “intelligent”.
The MacCook surname is widespread throughout the UK, the United States, and Canada. The surname can also be found among the Scottish diaspora in Australia and New Zealand. In the US, MacCook is particularly common in New England, the Midwest, and the western states of Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington. In Canada, the last name is common in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta.
The surname MacCook may be encountered among people of English, Scottish, Irish, Dutch, Chinese, and German descent. Due to intermarriage among the diverse population of these countries, it is possible to find the MacCook name in a variety of cultures, including French and Dutch Canadians, Scottish-Irish Americans, and even immigrant populations in the United Kingdom.
Variations of the surname MacCook
The surname MacCook is an anglicized form of the Irish name Mac Cúgáin. Variants and alternate spellings of this name include MacCoogeen, MacCoogein, MacCugain, MacKoogeen, MacKoogein, MacKugain, and McKoogeen.
The original Irish form, Mac Cúgáin, derives from the Gaelic Mac Cúgáin meaning ‘son of Cúgáin’. The personal name Cúgáin derives from the Gaelic word cú meaning ‘hound’ and gáin meaning ‘valuable’. Therefore, the name means ‘valuable hound’.
The MacCooks are primarily found in the Irish provinces of Ulster and Connacht. In Ulster, the MacCooks are primarily associated with County Antrim and in Connacht they are associated with County Mayo.
The associated sept or lineage of the name MacCook is Ó Cúgáin. This sept is very rare and is found almost exclusively in County Mayo in the Irish province of Connacht.
The common anglicized forms of the sept name Ó Cúgáin are O’Kugan, Kugane, O'Koogeen, Koogeen or Koogein.
The more anglicized form of the surname Kugane is spelled as Kugans, Coogan, Coogans,Cogans, Cogan, Cogin, Coghin, Coegin, Keogan, Keoghan and Keogan and the surname can also be found in the variant spellings MacCook, MacCoogeen, MacCoogein, MacKoogeen, MacKoogein, MacKugain, and McKoogeen.
The surname is extremely rare and is found mainly in the Irish provinces of Ulster and Connacht. However, the name can also be found in other areas of the world such as in the USA, Australia, the UK, and Canada, due to emigration from Ireland through the centuries.
Famous people with the name MacCook
- Kyle MacCook: American former child actor
- Ingrid MacCook: American actress
- Elizabeth MacCook: Scottish tour guide and television presenter
- Janet MacCook: American painter
- Dave MacCook: American retired Major League Baseball pitcher
- John MacCook: American entrepreneur who founded the Northern Pacific Railway
- Scott MacCook: American actor and television writer
- Stephen MacCook: Canadian Olympic rower
- David MacCook: American theologian, pastor, and author
- Robert MacCook: Scottish author, lecturer and educator