Surname McCaskey - Meaning and Origin
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McCaskey: What does the surname McCaskey mean?
The surname McCaskey is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic name "Mac Ascaidh," meaning the "son of Ascaidh." This Gaelic name 'Ascaidh' is akin to the Norse name 'Asketill,' which literally translates to 'god-cauldron.' Often, it was used to indicate the individual is a son of a person named Ascaidh or Asketill. Irish families often used the prefix 'Mac' or 'Mc' (denoting 'son of') with the father's given name to create surnames. As with many Irish surnames, various spellings of the same original surname are in existence, due to the translation from the Gaelic language to English. As such, McCaskey is sometimes seen as MacAskill, MacCaskie, and others. The geographical origin of the McCaskey family can be traced back to the Hebrides, a group of islands off the West coast of Scotland. These islands were under the home rule of Norway until the 13th century, therefore Norse influence is strong in surnames from this region. Surnames with Norse origins are particularly common in Hebrides. Today, bearers of the surname McCaskey can be found in many parts of the world as part of the significant Irish diaspora.
Order DNA origin analysisMcCaskey: Where does the name McCaskey come from?
The surname McCaskey is of Scottish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic surname Mac Asgaill, which means "son of Asgaill." The name Asgaill is believed to mean "spear of the gods." The spelling of the name has been modified over time, leading to various forms including McCaskey, MacAskill, and MacCaskill.
Today, the McCaskey surname is found in several countries around the world due to the displacement and migration of Scottish families throughout history. It is recognized to be quite common in the United States, with the highest concentrations in Pennsylvania. There are also pockets of McCaskeys in other English-speaking nations including Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. It is less common in Scotland now than it was in the past. Even though McCaskey is not among the most common surnames, it is notable in the United States due to the McCaskey family's ownership of the Chicago Bears National Football League team.
Variations of the surname McCaskey
The surname McCaskey is of Scotch-Irish origin and it has several variants and alternative spellings due to linguistic and regional influences. These include McCaskie, McCaskey, McCaskill, McCaspeck, McCasky, Mackesack, MacAskill, McAskill, McKaskey, and MacHasky.
It is derived from the personal name "Asketin" from the Old Norse name "Asketill", meaning "cauldron of the Gods". Over time, it has been anglicized into different spellings. In Scotland, it is often presented as McCaskill or MacAskill, especially in the Highlands, while in Ireland, it is usually spelled as McCaskey or McCaskie, especially in County Antrim.
It's important to note that the use of Mc or Mac prefix (meaning 'son of') can also interchange, so MacCaskey or McAskill might be used. Variations in spelling even within the same family were common due to illiteracy and different regional accents. That's why it's possible to find quite a lot of variants for a surname of the same origin.
In some cases, the names have been Americanized or changed further, especially amongst immigrant families, leading to even more variations. But primarily, the aforementioned are the most recognized variants of the McCaskey surname.
Famous people with the name McCaskey
- George McCaskey: Chairman of the Chicago Bears American Football team.
- Patrick McCaskey: Former Executive Vice-President of the Chicago Bears American Football team and current senior director of the team.
- Brian McCaskey: Senior Director of Business Development, Chicago Bears American Football team.
- Ed McCaskey: Former Executive Vice-President of the Chicago Bears American Football team
- Finley McCaskey: Owner of the Chicago Bears American Football team from 1943 to 1983.
- Katharine McCaskey: Daughter of former Chicago Bears American Football team owner George Halas and wife of former team executive Ed McCaskey.
- John McCaskey: Former assistant director of the Chicago Bears American Football team.
- Chris McCaskey: Former President/CEO of the Chicago Bears American Football team from 1999 to 2015.
- Mary McCaskey: Former director of player development for the Chicago Bears American Football team.
- Adam McCaskey: Former director of operations for the Chicago Bears American Football team from 2012 to 2013.