Surname MacEnroe - Meaning and Origin
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MacEnroe: What does the surname MacEnroe mean?
The last name MacEnroe is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac an Reachtaigh, which literally translates to “son of an agriculturist” or “son of a farmer”. The original Gaelic form of the name is an occupational name, as it was common for a person’s last name in ancient Ireland to reflect his or her profession.
Interestingly, the surname MacEnroe is still common in Ireland today and is still used to reflect generations of family history. It is typically associated with the Ulster county of Donegal, which borders the neighboring county of Fermanagh. This is fitting, as the MacEnroe family is believed to have had deep roots in these counties before they were anglicized.
Despite its Irish origins, the surname MacEnroe is most commonly associated with American tennis champion John McEnroe, who was born in the United States to Irish ancestors. He is often seen as a symbol of Irish American pride, and even began a youth tennis camp in Ireland called the MacEnroe Academy.
Overall, the surname MacEnroe is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Mac an Reachtaigh, which means “son of an agriculturist” or “son of a farmer”. It has been used to reflect generations of family history in Ireland, and is most famously associated with American tennis champion John McEnroe.
Order DNA origin analysisMacEnroe: Where does the name MacEnroe come from?
The last name MacEnroe is most commonly found today in the United States of America. The MacEnroe surname is particularly concentrated in the states of California, Florida, Texas, New York and Pennsylvania.
The surname MacEnroe is believed to have originated from Ireland during the 10th century. The MacEnroe family name may have been derived from "Mac Con Riabhaigh", which is believed to refer to the Uí Maine people who lived in West Galway.
It is unclear whether the MacEnroe surname then travelled with Irish emigrants and settlers to the United States, or if the name developed independently on American soil. Regardless, the occurrence of the MacEnroe name in the United States is noteworthy today.
The MacEnroe family were involved in the American Revolution, and partook in the revolutionary struggle for independence. Since then, the name has been passed on to many generations of MacEnroes who now reside in the United States.
The MacEnroe name is still prevalent today, held by famous people such as tennis great John McEnroe. The name is also written as McEnroe, and is the 38,060th most common surname in the United States. Many MacEnroes still live in America, and while the origin of the name is not fully known, it remains an important part of the landscape of the United States of America.
Variations of the surname MacEnroe
The surname MacEnroe is a patronymic surname, meaning a name that is derived from an ancestor's name. It is an Anglicized version of the Irish name Mac Conruadh, which is a variation of the Gaelic Mac Conroibhe. The origin of the surname is from the Irish prefix Mac, meaning “son of,” and the personal name Conruadh, meaning “hero” or “victorious.” Variants and spellings of the surname MacEnroe include MacEnroe, McEnroe, MacConry, Mac Conry, MacConroy, MacConrua, MacEinri, MacEnree, McEnroy, and M’Enroe.
Surnames that are derived from the same roots as MacEnroe include McCrary, McCrory, McEnroe, McRae, McCray, McRory, McRory, McCreary, and Conry. These surnames can have variants in spelling, and together form the larger group known as the Irish Mac Conruadh septs.
The origin of the root name, MacConruadh, dates back to the 9th century and indicates a possible relationship to a tribe known as the Corcu Duibne. This tribe was located in a region of Munster known as Corca Duibne, which stretched from the north of Kerry to the eastern tip of Cork. The MacConroys were part of the Ciarraige, a branch of this tribe, and were landowners in the region.
The surname MacEnroe has been an Irish family name for hundreds of years. It is still found around the world, especially in the United States, Canada, and Ireland. In more recent times, variations of the name have been used as given names as well.
Famous people with the name MacEnroe
- Patrick MacEnroe: an American tennis player, the former captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team and the former General Manager of player development for the USTA
- John MacEnroe: a former world No. 1 professional tennis player
- Billy MacEnroe: an American professional golfer
- Phil MacEnroe: an American footballer
- Jamie MacEnroe: an American painter and sculptor
- Sean MacEnroe: an Irish architect
- Matt MacEnroe: an American actor
- Dan MacEnroe: an American writer
- Troy MacEnroe: an American musician
- Ryan MacEnroe: an American mixed martial artist