Surname MacThomais - Meaning and Origin
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MacThomais: What does the surname MacThomais mean?
The surname MacThomais is of Scottish Gaelic origin, primarily frequent in Ireland and Scotland. It is derived from the patronymic form of the personal name Thomas. The "Mac" in MacThomais means "son of," so the entire surname translates to "son of Thomas." The name Thomas itself is of Biblical origin, derived from the Aramaic byname meaning "twin." Over the centuries, MacThomais has been anglicized to various forms including McTavish, McThomas, Thompson, Thomson, and others. In traditional Gaelic, patronymic names are often used interchangeably with clan names. Notably, while the surname is most commonly associated with Scottish heritage, there are Irish families known to bear the name as well, especially within County Donegal. Like many surnames, variations in spelling and pronunciation exist due to the translation from Gaelic to English, and regional influences.
Order DNA origin analysisMacThomais: Where does the name MacThomais come from?
The last name MacThomais (also spelled MacThomas) is found primarily in Scotland today. The creation and popularization of this name has its roots in the Gaelic culture of the Highlands, which is to this day intact in that part of Scotland. MacThomais is an anglicized version of the patronymic Gaelic surname “MacTomas”. MacTomas is formed from the Gaelic “mac” meaning “son of” along with the Gaelic “Thomais”. The name “Thomais” is derived from the personal name “Thomas”.
The Gaelic culture is still well represented in the Highlands, where the majority of people with the surname MacThomais are believed to live. The largest concentration are believed to be in the western coastal areas and islands such as The Outer Hebrides and Skye, where the Gaelic language and tradition are still widely spoken. The number of people with the surname is small, but many people with the last name in Scotland today will have a family tradition of at least 150 years.
There are also outliers, with a few small pockets of MacThomais living elsewhere in Britain, but most will trace their origins back to Scotland. In North America, more will have migrated over more recently. People with the last name can still be found in Newfoundland, Canada, as well as in the USA, where it is primarily found in California, Texas, New Jersey, and Florida.
The surname MacThomais is still strong and it is likely to remain so for many years to come.
Variations of the surname MacThomais
MacThomais, also sometimes spelled Mac Thomas, MacThommas, MacThomes, and MacTomey, is a common surname of Scottish and Irish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic prefix Mac, meaning "son of," and a variant of the personal name Thomas, which is derived from the Aramaic “te’oma” meaning “twin” or “a twin”.
The MacThomais surname is most common in Ireland, where variations of the MacThom(a)s and MacTomey spelling of the surname are also found. It is thought to have originated from the ancient Gaelic personal name Thom(a)s, which was borne by several early kings of Scotland. This personal name was probably derived from the Arya-Persian word “Toma”, which refers to the twin god.
In Scotland, the surname is most commonly found in the Scottish Borders region, particularly in the towns of Duns, Galashiels and Jedburgh. In Ireland, it is most common in the southeast part of the country in counties Cork and Waterford.
In addition to the main forms of the surname, there are several variants including MacThomis, MacThommas, MacTomass, MacThomes, and MacTomey. It is also sometimes found with the prefixes O’, Mc’, and Fitz’. Variations of the MacThomais name can also be found in other countries such as England and Canada, as well as other parts of the world, with those who have emigrated.
Overall, it is thought that the MacThomais surname is of fairly ancient origin, with several different spellings and origin points found throughout the world today.
Famous people with the name MacThomais
- Ronnie MacThomais, poet and writer
- Séamus MacThomais, Irish show jumper
- Sean MacThomais, Irish actor
- Eimear MacThomais, Irish actress
- Posta MacThomais, Irish singer-songwriter
- Tomás MacThomais, Irish public intellectual
- Brian MacThomais, Irish documentary filmmaker
- Caoimhe MacThomais, Irish politician
- Seosamh MacThomais, Irish painter
- Caitlín MacThomais, Irish novelist and playwright