Surname McDiarmid - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
McDiarmid: What does the surname McDiarmid mean?
The surname McDiarmid is of Scottish origin and is derived from the Gaelic personal name "MacDhiarmaid," which means "son of Diarmaid." The name Diarmaid itself is derived from the elements "dia," meaning "god," and "ar-mait," meaning "worthiness or excellency." Thus, the name can be loosely translated as "son of the one worthy of a god" or "son of the godly one." The name is predominantly found in the highlands and islands of Scotland, reflecting the deposition of the Gaels, a Celtic group, in these areas. Although spelling variations are common in Gaelic names due to the translation from Gaelic to English, McDiarmid is one of the few names that has largely maintained its original form.
Order DNA origin analysisMcDiarmid: Where does the name McDiarmid come from?
The last name McDiarmid is of Scottish origin. The name derives from the Gaelic 'Mac Dhiarmaid', meaning 'son of Diarmaid'. In Gaelic, 'Diarmaid' can be interpreted to mean "without envy" or "free from envy".
The McDiarmid name first emerged in Scotland during the Middle Ages, specifically in the region known as Perthshire. The McDiarmid clan was part of the larger Siol Alpin clan system, a shared lineage believed to trace back to Alpin, the first King of Scots.
Today, the McDiarmid surname, along with its various spellings, can be found most frequently in Scotland, particularly in Perthshire and the Highlands. Additionally, this last name can be found in other English speaking countries too as a result of Scottish emigration. Therefore, it is also common in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Despite its distribution, it's not an extremely common last name. Famous people with the last name McDiarmid include actor Ian McDiarmid, known for his role as Emperor Palpatine in the Star Wars film franchise.
Variations of the surname McDiarmid
The surname McDiarmid has its roots in Scottish Gaelic and is primarily found in Scotland. It's derived from the Gaelic personal name "Diarmad", meaning "free man". This name has undergone various spelling transformations over the years and across different regions, each variant maintaining its connection to the original Gaelic root.
Common alternative spellings of McDiarmid include McDermot, McDermott, McDermit, MacDermot, MacDermott, and MacDiarmid. In addition, there are other alternative surnames that stem from the same origin, such as Dermody, O'Dermody, Dermot, Dermott, Dermod, Dermid, Darmody, and Diarmid. Each variant reflects a different Anglicized form of the original Gaelic name. There are also un-capitalized versions like mcDermott, mcDermid, and mcDiarmid.
One should note that the prefix "Mc" or "Mac" is traditionally a patronymic denotation in Gaelic, indicating "son of". Therefore, all these variations share a common origin suggesting a familial relation to an ancestral "Diarmad". The distribution of these surnames across regions in Scotland and Ireland today serves as a testament to the dispersion of Gaelic families over centuries.
Famous people with the name McDiarmid
- Ian McDiarmid: He is the Scottish actor who portrayed Emperor Palpatine in the Star Wars franchise.
- Gordon McDiarmid: He is a British-Australian entrepreneur and investor, who co-founded Macquarie Bank.
- Alan McDiarmid: He was a New Zealand-American chemist and a joint recipient (with two other scientists) of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
- John McDiarmid: He is a Scottish rugby player who captained Scotland's national team.
- Jimmy McDiarmid: He is a former British footballer who represented Scotland in the 1956 British Home Nations tournament.
- Gordon McDiarmid: He is a former Australian Rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League for the Collingwood Football Club.
- Alexander McDiarmid: He is a former Australian politician who served as the state Member for Healesville from 1964 to 1979.
- Danny McDiarmid: He is an Australian country music singer-songwriter.
- Andrew McDiarmid: He is an American historian and author who has written extensively on the history of World War II.
- Jamie McDiarmid: He is an Irish international rugby league player.