Surname MacTarsney - Meaning and Origin
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MacTarsney: What does the surname MacTarsney mean?
The last name MacTarsney is an Irish surname, derived from a Gaelic phrase meaning "son of the leader". It originates from the Gaelic elements of Mac meaning "son" and téirmeanach meaning "leader". This suggests that the original bearer of the MacTarsney name was the son of a clan chief, or a leader of some standing within the community.
The MacTarsney name originated in county Clare in Ireland, and can be found in records dating back to the 12th century. From these early records, it is clear that the MacTarsney family were leaders in their community and highly respected. They were also prosperous merchants and landowners in an area known as the Clare Valley, and would have had a lot of influence in the local area.
The MacTarsney name has been widespread all over Ireland and Britain since the 16th century, but is mainly concentrated in the region around Clare. The name is also common in the United States, as the family has been the subject of three major diasporas during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Today, the MacTarsney name has been adopted by many people throughout the world. Its origin still remains rooted in the ancient clan of Clare. The name continues to symbolize an ancient Irish heritage, and the willingness of the original bearers of the MacTarsney name to take the lead and succeed.
Order DNA origin analysisMacTarsney: Where does the name MacTarsney come from?
The surname MacTarsney is most common in Ireland today, primarily in Donegal, County Mayo, and Cork. Historically, this surname is of Scottish origin and is derived from the Gaelic sept Mac Thairnis; meaning “son of Thairnis”. This was the name of a warrior, which suggests the original bearers of this surname were warriors.
In Ireland, the name is generally thought to have been anglicized from the Gaelic Mac Thiarnasaigh, which is derived from the Irish word for “lord”. Interestingly, the MacTarsney sept was also found in Scotland during the 14th century.
The name has been in the country since the time of the 16th century Irish Plantations that took place during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, when Scottish and English settlers were sent to Ireland to reclaim land previously held by the O’Donnell and O’Neill clans.
Today, the surname MacTarsney is found primarily in Ireland, and there are estimated to be around 2000 members of this family living in the country at present. The name is most common in Ireland’s northwestern counties, such as Donegal, Mayo, and Cork. The name is also found in some parts of the United States, especially in the midwest of the country, as many members of the MacTarsney clan emigrated to the US during the 19th century.
Variations of the surname MacTarsney
The surname MacTarsney is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac an tSaoir, which means ‘son of the artisan’ or ‘son of the craftsman’. It is derived from the earlier Irish surname ó Tarsnaidhe, which in turn comes from the personal name Tarsney and is of nickname origin.
The most common forms of this surname are MacTarsney, Mac an tSaoir, McTarsney and MacTerny. Other variants include MacAdarnesey, McAderny, McAghraney, MacAranney, MacHarney, MacHerrihy, MacKearney, MacTearny, McInerney, MacRuny and MacTarnahy.
The surnames of similar origin are Mac an tSomhairle, which means ‘son of the Somerled’, Mac an tSíthigh, meaning ‘son of the peace’, and Mac Giolla Chomgaill, which translates to ‘son of the servant of St. Comgall’.
There are also non-Gaelic spellings of the MacTarsney surname, such as MacTownsend, MacTownshend, MacTiersney, MacTornish and MacTorns. One more variant is the Scottish surname McMurtry, which comes from the personal name Muircheartach.
The people who carry the MacTarsney surname live in Ireland, Scotland and the United States.
Famous people with the name MacTarsney
- Ryan MacTarsney: American soccer player who currently plays for Orlando City SC.
- Samantha MacTarsney: an American actress best known for her lead role in the film Brother's Keeper.
- Trudy MacTarsney: the award-winning author of the Cleopatra Jones book series.
- Joe MacTarsney: an American artist known for his stunning metal sculptures.
- Mike MacTarsney: the Hall of Fame basketball coach who led the Chicago Bulls to three championship titles.
- David MacTarsney: the Australian songwriter who composed the hit song “Say Something”.
- Peter MacTarsney: the actor best known for his role in the television show The Jeffersons.
- Gary MacTarsney: a philanthropist who founded the MacTarsney Foundation which focuses on helping families in need.
- Brendan MacTarsney: an Olympic-level swimmer who won four gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games.
- Stephen MacTarsney: the professor of finance at Harvard University.