Surname MacLoskey - Meaning and Origin
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MacLoskey: What does the surname MacLoskey mean?
The last name MacLoskey is a Scottish name of Norse, or Viking, origin. The meaning of the name comes from the Gaelic “Mac an Lochsaig”, meaning “son of the Viking”. It is believed that the name originated in the Western Isles (sometimes referred to as the Outer Hebrides) on the northwest coast of Scotland, likely during the Viking occupation of the area between the 9th and 12th centuries.
The name was most likely given to a Viking descendant (son) who settled in the area, though alternative theories maintain that the name can refer to an original Viking ancestor, or even his descendant's mental or physical characteristics. Similarly to many other surnames of Gaelic origin, the name has been anglicized over time, arriving in its present form from MacLosky, or MacLoskie.
The MacLoskey surname has been prevalent in Scotland since the 12th century, and has spread to other parts of the world as Scottish migrations increased from the early 18th century onward. Today, the name is still found largely in Scotland although it has spread all around the United Kingdom and to other countries like the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Order DNA origin analysisMacLoskey: Where does the name MacLoskey come from?
The last name MacLoskey is of Irish decent, and is most commonly found in the United States and Canada. Today, the name is most commonly found in the Northern United States, specifically Michigan and Wisconsin, as well as Canada. More specifically, the last name is much more common in the Great Lakes regions and in the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. In the U.S., cities with a higher concentration of MacLoskeys tend to be near the Great Lakes, such as Grand Rapids and Lansing, Michigan, as well as Madison, Wisconsin. Canada also has a higher concentration of people with MacLoskey as their last name, specifically in the Ontario cities of Sault Ste. Marie and Ottawa.
The MacLoskey family originated in Ireland in the county of Leitrim and are descended from the royal O'Rourke Clan. The MacLoskey spelling is often seen as an anglicization of the more traditional O'Loughlin spelling, and there are still people with the MacLoskey and O'Loughlin surname living in Ireland today.
Overall, while the MacLoskey name is still relatively common, it is primarily found in the Northern United States and Canadian provinces near the Great Lakes. It is also still common in Ireland, the origin of the MacLoskey name.
Variations of the surname MacLoskey
The surname MacLoskey is derived from the Irish Gaelic name Mac Lochlaigh, meaning “son of Lochlann”. The Lochlann is a personal name meaning 'land of lakes', and as such is a marker of origin in some areas, such as Donegal in Ireland.
Variants of the surname MacLoskey include MacLuskey, MacLusky, McLusky, McLoskey, MacLousky, McLausky, MacLausky, McLosey, MacLosey, McLossey, McLoughey, MacLoughrey, MacLoughrey, MacLausey, McLausey, MacCloskey, McCloskey, and MacGlosky.
Spellings of MacLoskey include MacLoskie, MacLossier, MacLosskey, MacLoskey, MacLusskey, McLossier, McLosskey, McLoskey, MacLouskey, MacLoussie, MacLouisey, McCloske, MacCloski, MacClosky, MacGlosky, McLowse, and MacLpesky.
Surnames of the same origin of MacLoskey are McVeney, McMeeny, and McCavery.
Famous people with the name MacLoskey
- Shoshanna MacLoskey: British-American television writer and producer who wrote for the television show, Transparent.
- Charles MacLoskey: Writer and poet from Wyoming, worked as a writer-in-residence at the University of Wyoming in the mid 1970s.
- Kevin MacLoskey: Professional poker player who won multiple World Series of Poker Circuit Events.
- Darl MacLoskey: American former Major League Baseball pitcher.
- Lila MacLoskey: American Dungeons & Dragons artist who has done artwork for Shadowcliff Publishing and the BoardRPG website.
- Austin MacLoskey: US Navy sailor and Bronze Star Medal recipient for his service during the Vietnam War.
- Andrew MacLoskey: Award-winning American video game designer whose works include games such as Batman: Dark Tomorrow and Indiana Jones and the Emperors Tomb.
- Sibyl MacLoskey: American actress and theater director who appeared on the television shows Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
- Cliff MacLoskey: Australian rugby union player who played for the Waratahs in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
- Peggy MacLoskey: American jazz and swing vocalist who sang with Billie Holiday, Gene Krupa, Fats Waller, Count Basie, and Benny Goodman.