Surname MacPatrick - Meaning and Origin
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MacPatrick: What does the surname MacPatrick mean?
The surname MacPatrick is of Scottish and Irish origin and it signifies "son of Patrick." The name Patrick is derived from the Latin "Patricius," meaning "nobleman," so the full meaning of MacPatrick could be interpreted as "son of a nobleman." This name is rooted in the tradition of patronymics, where a component of a personal name is derived from the given name of an individual’s father, grandfather, or an even earlier male ancestor. Traditionally in Irish culture, "Mac" was used to denote 'son of,' followed by the father's or grandfather's name. The usage of this surname denotes the ancestral line of individuals descending from a patriarch named Patrick. So, anyone bearing the surname MacPatrick shares a heritage linked to an ancestor named Patrick.
Order DNA origin analysisMacPatrick: Where does the name MacPatrick come from?
The surname MacPatrick is of Irish origin and it signifies "son of Patrick". It is derived from the Gaelic name "Mac Phádraig", wherein "mac" means son and "Phádraig" represents Patrick. Patrick, meaning “nobleman”, has been an extremely popular name in Ireland, thanks to the country's patron Saint Patrick. Consequently, different variations of surnames have evolved from it such as ‘MacPatrick’.
Over the centuries, due to migration and historical events, Irish surnames have spread across the globe. Currently, you can find MacPatrick surname holders not only in Ireland but also in other English-speaking countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. However, despite its dispersal, the surname MacPatrick remains relatively rare compared to other Irish patronymic surnames.
Very often the name adopted an anglicized form, Fitzpatrick, which is more common. The prefix ‘Fitz’ is a Norman-French borrowing meaning ‘son of’. So ‘Fitzpatrick’ is equivalent to ‘MacPatrick’. This makes it challenging to pinpoint the specific prevalence of original Gaelic-form ‘MacPatrick’ in contemporary times, as many may have transitioned to the more common ‘Fitzpatrick’ in anglophone countries.
Variations of the surname MacPatrick
The surname MacPatrick is of Irish origin, it comes from the Gaelic Mac Padraig, which means "son of Patrick". This surname has multiple variants and spellings due to regional differences, handwriting intricacies of scribes, and Anglicization process.
Variants and alternative spellings of the surname MacPatrick could include: McPatrick, MacPatric, MacPadraig, McPatric, McPadraig, M'Patrick or simply Patrick. In some cases, it might also transition into Fitzpatrick, a name that also means "son of Patrick" but stems from the Anglo-Norman tradition.
The surname might also be prefixed with “O” to denote “descendant of”, leading to names like O'Patrick or O'Patric. In Northern Ireland, surnames beginning with “Mac” or “Mc” were often Anglicized to “son”, hence, the name could also be found as Patrickson.
Most MacPatricks can trace their ancestry back to Ireland, but due to emigration during the 19th and 20th centuries, the name is found in many English-speaking countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand; it may have been further changed or simplified in these countries due to language and pronunciation differences.
Famous people with the name MacPatrick
- Paul McPatrick: a professional boxer who competed in the junior middleweight division in the early 1990s.
- Roddy McPatrick: an American country music singer-songwriter known for his chart-topping hits in the mid-1980s.
- Don McPatrick: a dance choreographer and director best known for working on Broadway shows such as La Cage au Folles, The Color Purple, Cats, and more.
- Danny McPatrick: a well-known actor who starred in several feature films including The Watcher, Rush Hour, and The Scorpion King.
- Henry McPatrick: a Scottish-American lawyer and politician who served as the Secretary of State of Pennsylvania from 1922-1929.
- Colin McPatrick: a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the NHL from 1991-2004.
- Patrick McPatrick: a visual effects artist and cinematographer whose work has been featured in feature films such as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe.
- David McPatrick: an Australian children's author, illustrator, and TV host best known for his books Billabong and Lazy Australia.
- Sean McPatrick: an Irish TV and radio presenter and actor known for his roles on RTÉ television shows such as The Late Late Show and The Sunday Game.
- Colm McPatrick: an Irish folk singer-songwriter who has released several albums and was the recipient of the prestigious Meteor Music Award in 2011.