Surname MacFie - Meaning and Origin

MacFie: What does the surname MacFie mean?

The surname MacFie is of Scottish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic name "Mac Dhuibhshíthe" which means "son of Duibhshíthe". The name Duibhshíthe is further broken down into "dubh" meaning "black" and "sìth" meaning "peace". Therefore, the surname MacFie can be translated into "son of black peace". It is associated with the Scottish clans, particularly Clan Macfie, whose members can be traced back to the early days of Scotland when surnames started to be used. Over time, the name has seen several variations in spelling such as MacPhee, MacPhie, or MacVey, due to the translation from the Gaelic language to English.

MacFie: Where does the name MacFie come from?

The last name MacFie originates from Scotland, specifically from the Scottish Gaelic "Mac Dhuibhshíthe", which means "son of the dark man of peace." This name was first found in Colonsay, an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, where the MacFie Clan lived for several centuries. The MacFies are among the original clans of Scotland, tracing back to the ancient Dalriadic kingdom.

The MacFie name faced tumultuous times in the 17th century when Colonsay was invaded by warring clans, leading to a dispersion of the MacFie family across Scotland and abroad. Therefore, today, you might find MacFies all over the world, especially in countries that were common destinations for Scottish emigrants, like the United States, Canada, and Australia. However, in Scotland, the surname is still common in regions that were associated with the clan’s historical territories, such as Argyll and Bute.

Variations of the surname MacFie

The surname MacFie is of Scottish origin. It is a variant of McFie. The name is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Dhuibhshíthe," which means "black peace."

Due to phonetic variations and differences in spelling over history and across regions, there are several variant spellings of this surname. These include MacDuffie, MacPhee, MacPhie, MacDhuibhshíthe, and MacDubhsidhe in Scottish Gaelic.

In English, the surname could also be spelled as McFee, McPhee, McDuffee, MacPhee, MacFi, MacVey, MacVeigh, and sometimes MacDuff. These spellings arose from attempts to phonetically translate the Gaelic name into English, subject to regional accents and literacy levels at the time they were documented.

The surname has also been anglicized to Duffy in Ireland, which is derived from the Gaelic "Ó Dubhthaigh," meaning "descendant of the black one." Despite the similar meaning of "black" in both names, it is important to note that MacFie and Duffy are separate surnames stemming from different lineages: MacFie is of Scottish origin while Duffy is of Irish origin.

All these variants, spellings, and surnames carry the essence of the original Gaelic surname, acknowledging the historical, cultural, and linguistic journey the name has traveled through the ages.

Famous people with the name MacFie

• Donald MacFie: British philosopher, writer and academic
• Charles MacFie: British soldier
• Julian MacFie: British businessman
• Jeannie MacFie: British sculptor
• Brian MacFie: British television news presenter
• Alastair MacFie: British athlete
• Marcel MacFie: Canadian politician
• Fred MacFie: British television producer/director
• Gordon MacFie: British financial journalist
• Samantha MacFie: British actress/voiceover artist

Other surnames

MacFirries