Surname McCourtney - Meaning and Origin
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McCourtney: What does the surname McCourtney mean?
The last name McCourtney may be of Scottish origin and it may have been derived from the Gaelic Mac Artna meaning “son of Artan”. The Gaelic word “Artan” is thought to be derived from the Latin word “Arcturus”, the name of the brightest star in the constellation Boötes and the third-brightest star in the night sky. Artan was also an old Celtic god, possibly associated with boars.
The first recorded spelling of the name McCourtney was in 1420 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Records show that Andrew MacArtnay was a landowner living in Edinburgh during the late 15th century. It is thought that his surname was later anglicized to McCourtney.
The McCourtneys have been part of Scotland's history since medieval times. The McCourtney family was prominent in the politics of Scotland and was known to be loyal to their King. They were also known for their diligence in business and their entrepreneurial spirit.
The McCourtneys have since immigrated to many parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. They have become a successful family in all areas of life and continue to be proud to bear the McCourtney name.
Order DNA origin analysisMcCourtney: Where does the name McCourtney come from?
The last name McCourtney is most commonly located in the United States. In 2020, the United States Census estimated that it is the 17,502nd most common last name in the country. It is also common in Australia and Canada with the 7,528th and 15,711th most frequent surnames respectively.
The McCourtney surname is thought to have derived from a Gaelic personal name of the same spelling. This is a combination of two words, ‘Mac’, meaning ‘son of’ and ‘Cúirtnigh’ meaning ‘Envoy’. This helps explain why the McCourtney name is so popular in North America. Many immigrants most likely brought the name with them when they arrived from their homeland in the British Isles.
The highest concentrations of the McCourtney surname are in California, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It is prevalent in cities like New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Houston.
McCourtney is also fairly common in Ireland. In the 1901 Irish census, the name was found in counties such as Antrim, Fermanagh, Mayo, Monaghan, and Down. It is anecdotally said to be most common in the Ulster area.
Overall, McCourtney is a fairly common surname, mainly found in the United States and countries of the British Isles. The origin of the name might make it more common amongst Irish, Scottish, and English immigrants, but it is also present in many other countries around the world.
Variations of the surname McCourtney
The surname McCourtney has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variant of the name is courtney, which is the base spelling of the last name. Other variants might include Mccourtey, Mc Courteney, McCourtny, Courtnee, Courtenay, Courtin, Mc Courtiney, McCourteny, Courtny, and Courtnay.
There are quite a few other surnames that have similar origins to McCourtney. These include Maccurtain, MacCortney, McCurtain, McCurtaine, McCurtainy, McCourtain, Courtin, Macrteney, McKurtain, Courtemanche, and Macourt. There are also some Irish surnames that are spelled similarly such as Magourtney, Macurtin, and Quurtney.
Variations in spelling the surname could be caused by an ancestor who may have changed their name to a more modern version or a spelling mistake that was then passed down through the generations. This is quite common in surnames with Irish origin.
In summary, the surname McCourtney has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. This includes courtney, Mccourtey, McCourteney, McCourtny, Courtnee, Courtenay, Courtin, MacCourtiney, McCourteny, Courtny, and Courtnay. There are also Irish surnames that have similar spelling like Maccurtain, MacCortney, McCurtaine, McCurtainy, McCourtain, Courtin, Macrteney, McKurtain, Courtemanche, Magourtney, Macurtin, and Quurtney.
Famous people with the name McCourtney
- Mary McCourtney: American actress, best known for appearing as Sister Bernadette in the television series The Flying Nun.
- Francis McCourtney: American actor of stage and screen, best known for his roles in The Outsiders and the television series The Incredible Hulk.
- Mickey McCourtney: American singer and songwriter, most noted for her hit single "Ain't No Sunshine".
- Alice McCourtney: American author and illustrator best known for her children's books.
- Austin McCourtney: American bassist and producer, best known for his work with the punk rock band The Vandals.
- Sean McCourtney: American football running back, most notably for the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League.
- Sinead McCourtney: Irish singer-songwriter, best known for her powerful voice and energetic stage performances.
- Clorinda McCourtney: Canadian voice actress and broadcaster, most notably for her work in animated television programs such as SpongeBob SquarePants.
- Lise McCourtney: American fashion designer and reality television star, most notably for her work on the show Project Runway.
- Ruth McCourtney: British playwright, best known for her plays My Borrowed Home and The WIthies.