Surname MacIlhagga - Meaning and Origin
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MacIlhagga: What does the surname MacIlhagga mean?
The last name MacIlhagga is an Anglicized form of the Irish name Mac Aodhagáin, which originates from the name "Aodhagán". This is a given name formed from the elements "aodh," meaning “fire” and "an," meaning “name”. The name is thought to be related to the name of St. Aodhagán, an early Christian missionary who was active in southern Ireland and parts of Wales during the seventh century AD.
The name MacIlhagga is found predominantly around Munster, an area in southern Ireland comprising the counties of Limerick, Cork, Kerry, and Tipperary. It is believed to have been brought to the south of Ireland in the sixteenth century by an Irish noble of Ulster origins, possibly from the Chalon Clann located near the present day border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The meaning of the name is typically taken to mean "devotee or follower of Aodhagán”. Aodhagán was a saint who was renowned for his great dedication to his Christian faith and his selfless devotion to the people of his community. He was also known for his fervent prayer life, being closely associated with the Irish goddess of fire, Fódla.
The last name MacIlhagga is also found in parts of Scotland, primarily in the coastal area of Argyll with an abundance of MacIlhagga clan members. It is likely that the name was brought to the area even earlier than it came to Munster, as a result of the extensive trading between the two countries in the early medieval era.
In summary, the last name MacIlhagga is thought to derive from the Irish given name Aodhagán and is associated with the values of devotion, prayer, and dedication to the Christian faith. It has a long history in southern Ireland and parts of Scotland, probably bringing with it some indelible ties to its Irish and Scottish heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisMacIlhagga: Where does the name MacIlhagga come from?
The last name MacIlhagga is most common today in Ireland, particularly in the counties of Sligo and Donegal. Historically, those bearing this surname would have resided mainly in Counties Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim.
The MacIlhaggas, also known as Clan-na-Rory, were a Gaelic family who inhabited an area of the mountainous interior between North-West Sligo and Donegal known as Tuaisceart Loch Enda - the part of the Three Tuatha which stretched along the mountainous part of the border between North-West Sligo and Donegal Bay. The MacIlhaggas were related to the O’Gallagher’s and the McDermott’s of Corrane Strand.
The MacIlhaggas were esteemed amongst the other Gaelic families of the time for their ‘wisdom and integrity,’ and they were respected for their abilities in warfare. They often acted as negotiators between other families, and were especially noted for their skill in designing battle-strategies. The MacIlhagga's played an important role in the Irish resistance during the 16th and 17th centuries, resisting both English conquest and later Cromwell's invasion.
It is believed that the name MacIlhagga, meaning 'son of Ailbhe', derived from Ailbhe, a personal name derived from the Gaelic word for ‘Nobel’. Today, there are still some native Irish speakers of the name who live in rural areas of County Donegal and County Sligo. Though the number is dwindling, their presence is still strong in those areas and their influence on the culture and history of the region is significant.
Variations of the surname MacIlhagga
The surname MacIlhagga has a variation of spellings which includes MacIlharge, MacIlhargie,MacIlharie, and MacIlhague.
The origin of this name can be traced back to Galloway, Scotland, to the Welsh-Gaelic personal name MacUalraig, which is composed of the elements mac , meaning 'son of,' and ualraig, which is composed of the elements ual or uall, meaning 'proud,' and ri , meaning 'king.'
Variants of MacIlhagga include McElharge, McElhargie, McElharie, and McElhague. There are alternative spellings of this surname such as Mcllhagga, McElhagga, MacElhagga, and MacLhagga.
There are other surnames of similar origin include MacAllarich , MacAlraig, MacUalraig, McGoualraig , McKenna , McKelleger, McYoualray, McLhagga, and MacLorich.
In some cases, this surname is also spelled as McLaughlin, McLarigan, McLallen, and MacLaughlin.
Overall, the surname MacIlhagga has numerous variant spellings and related surnames that originated from a Welsh-Gaelic personal name.
Famous people with the name MacIlhagga
- Louise MacIlhagga: British actress best known for her roles on The Bill, Doctors and EastEnders.
- Donald MacIlhagga: Canadian actor and voice actor.
- Martha MacIlhagga: Broadcast journalist, MC and presenter based in Scotland.
- Kenneth MacIlhagga: Award-winning Canadian cinematographer most famous for his work on The Death of Poe and Bright Lights, Big City.
- Wilcott MacIlhagga: Renowned British composer and conductor whose music has been featured in several television series.
- Sandy MacIlhagga: Award-winning singer/songwriter from Scotland.
- Maria MacIlhagga: Bestselling British author of crime fiction.
- Sam MacIlhagga: Retired professional hockey player from Canada.
- Ian MacIlhagga: Musician and record producer from Scotland, best known as the former frontman of the alternative rock band The Rave.
- John MacIlhagga: British politician and member of the Conservative Party.