Surname McNeight - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
McNeight: What does the surname McNeight mean?
The surname McNeight is of Scottish origin that comes from the personal name "Neach," a Gaelic form of the Late Latin name "Neochus." It was predominantly used on the western coast of Scotland and Hebrides islands. This surname often occurs in the Anglicized form as MacNeish or MacNeice. The spelling variation in the "Mc" (as in McNeight) form is found in Ulster, Ireland, due to migration of people across the Irish Sea over many centuries. It is important to note that many Scottish surnames underwent modifications over the years, especially during times when literacy was rare, hence the evolution of its different forms. The exact meaning of the name isn't clearly known, but surnames that originated from personal names often reflect qualities or characteristics that the initial bearer possessed.
Order DNA origin analysisMcNeight: Where does the name McNeight come from?
The surname McNeight is of Irish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic word "Mac Neachtain", where "Mac" means "son of" and "Neachtain" is a personal name. It is similar to other Irish names beginning with "Mc" or "Mac," which generally indicate "son of" the name that follows. The name Neachtain itself (sometimes modernized as Nochtan) is derived from the Irish word "necht", meaning "pure" or "clear". The original bearers of the surname would have been descendants or followers of a man named Neachtain.
The name McNeight, like many Irish surnames, is found widely dispersed around the world due to the mass Irish Diaspora, particularly in English-speaking nations such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and the UK, where many Irish immigrants settled. That said, it tends to be quite rare, even in these countries. In the present day, the vast majority of McNeights can be found in the United States, though exact numbers are difficult to ascertain due to its rarity. Most sources continue to list it as a fairly uncommon name overall.
Variations of the surname McNeight
The surname McNeight is of Irish origin and is a variant of Irish surname MacNaois, anglicised as McNeice. Other common English spelling variants of the surname may include: McNight, McNaught, McNaight, McKnight, MacKnight, MacNeight, and MacNaught. Besides, the "c" in these names is sometimes omitted, resulting in names like McKnight or McKneight.
The surname McNeight can also be found shifted to Neight, similar to how the "Mc" or "Mac" (meaning "son of") is often dropped in other Scottish or Irish surnames. It’s also not uncommon for the "Mc" or "Mac" to be combined with the following name, giving versions like Macneight or even M'Neight.
Surnames with similar spellings but of different origin may include the Scottish McNutt or the English McNatt. These names, while phonetically similar, are not variations of McNeight.
However, please note that the popularity and usage of these variations may differ, and some may be quite uncommon. Furthermore, these spellings can be subject to alterations over time and location due to regional dialects and pronunciation.
Famous people with the name McNeight
- Doug McNeight: A former professional basketball player, he starred on the University of Vermont basketball team and helped the Catamounts reach a No. 1 ranking in the America East in 2001.
- Leo McNeight: An American author and a former managing editor of People magazine.
- Michael McNeight: A family farm activist and board member of numerous agricultural organizations in Canada.
- Peter McNeight: An American politician and state representative on the Democratic party, he represented the 78th district in South Carolina from 2006 to 2014.
- Ruby McNeight: A computer programmer and computer scientist who pioneered the use of computer-aided design for containers and packaging.
- Tim McNeight: A former NASCAR driver, he competed in five Nationwide Series events from 2005 to 2007.
- Tammy McNeight: A Canadian-born novelist, her novel Common Bonds was published in 2004.
- Terence McNeight: An Irish musician, he has a solo project by the name of "With Roses."
- Joe McNeight: An American sportscaster, he has been a Cowboy's play-by-play announcer since 2019.
- Nigel McNeight: A former soccer player, he played for teams in England, Wales, France, and the United States.