Surname macguigan - Meaning and Origin
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macguigan: What does the surname macguigan mean?
The last name MacGuigan is of Scottish origin. The name is derived from the Gaelic word "Mac Uiginn", which means "son of Eugene". The name Eugene itself comes from the Greek name Eugenios, meaning "well-born" or "noble". Therefore, the surname MacGuigan could be interpreted as "son of the well-born" or "son of the noble one". The Clan MacGuigan is said to have originated from an early medieval territory known as Garmoran in the Scottish Western Isles. Over time, due to migration and assimilation, the MacGuigans have spread and settled in other parts of Scotland and beyond. Despite these migrations, the surname is still prevalent in its original homelands.
Order DNA origin analysismacguigan: Where does the name macguigan come from?
The surname MacGuigan is of Irish origin. It is an Anglicised form of the Gaelic name Mac Uiginn, which means "son of Uiginn". The name Uiginn itself derives from the Old Norse name "Vikingr' which means "Viking" or "Sea Rover".
The MacGuigans were originally a part of the Northern Ui Neill, from the area that is now Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland. During the Middle Ages, they were the lords of Fermanagh. The surname is particularly associated with counties Tyrone and Fermanagh, but it is also found in other parts of Ireland.
Today, the MacGuigan surname still prevails in Northern Ireland and is common in places where the Irish Diaspora have settled, particularly in Glasgow, Scotland, Canada, and the United States. Essentially, while MacGuigan is still an Irish surname, it is no longer exclusively found in Ireland due to global emigration patterns.
Variations of the surname macguigan
The surname MacGuigan is of Irish origin and it's an anglicized form of the Old Gaelic "Mac Uighinn", meaning "son of Eugene". Variations of the surname include MacEgan, Egan, Keegan, McEgan, MacEgan, McKeegan, MacKeegan, Maguigan, and McQuiggan.
The surname Egan derives from the Gaelic term "Aodhagan", translating to "little fire", a diminutive of the personal name "Aedh" (fire). Keegan is another surname from the same root.
Typically, prefixes such as "Mac" or "Mc" denote "son of". They could vary too depending on the region and the period with terms such as "O'" employed in certain regions.
Due to language differences and phonetics, the spelling of the surname changed over time depending on who wrote it down. Therefore, these variant spellings exist, particularly between regions in Ireland and countries such as Scotland, England, Canada, and the United States.
It's important to remember that these surnames may not always have a lineage connection to the MacGuigan name, as surnames could have been derived separately in different areas or could reflect different original Gaelic names.
Famous people with the name macguigan
- Mark MacGuigan: He was a well-known Canadian lawyer, professor, and politician. He has served as a Member of Parliament and also as the Secretary of State for External Affairs.
- James MacGuigan: Another Canadian politician from the Liberal party, he served in the House of Commons of Canada.
- Glenn MacGuigan: He is a respected Pennsylvania Superior Court judge.
- Anne Marie MacGuigan: More commonly known as Mairéad Maguire, she is an internationally recognized peace activist from Northern Ireland. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976. Please note that this last name is fairly uncommon and many of the most recognized individuals may go by the anglicized version of the name, "Maguire." Spellings can often change based on different cultural and linguistic preferences.