Surname McPhadden - Meaning and Origin
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McPhadden: What does the surname McPhadden mean?
The last name McPhadden is derived from an ancient Scottish Gaelic surname. The name is thought to be a combination of two distinct surnames, Macmeaning “son of” and Phadain meaning “peace.” According to traditional Gaelic naming conventions, this would indicate that the first bearer of the name was the son of someone whose name can also be translated as “peace.”
The McPhaddens are believed to descend from the ancient Irish sept of the O'Fadains, a tribe who were located in the present-day county of Antrim in Northern Ireland. This clan can be traced back to the 12th century, and the current McPhadden lineage is believed to have originated from the same area.
The McPhadden surname is most closely associated with the areas of Donegal, Tyrone, Armagh and Fermanagh, and the family is believed to have originated and lived in the area since ancient times. Today, the name continues to be strongly associated with these same areas, with a high concentration of McPhadden families living in and around these places.
Overall, the McPhadden surname is most likely derived from the Gaelic phrase “Mac Phadain” which translates to “son of peace.” This phrase most likely refers to the period of relative calm and prosperity that the family had enjoyed in the region prior to their migration to Donegal, Tyrone, Armagh and Fermanagh. It could also be interpreted to mean that the first bearer of the name had actively promoted a policy of “peace” within the region.
Order DNA origin analysisMcPhadden: Where does the name McPhadden come from?
The last name McPhadden is found mainly in Ireland, Scotland, and England. In Ireland, the name is most common in county Leitrim to the north-west of the Island. In Scotland, it is found mainly in counties Donegal and Tyrone. In England, most McPhaddens are found in Cumbria, Lancashire, and Yorkshire.
In terms of population distribution, it is estimated that there are 24,000 people with the name in Ireland, 6,500 in Scotland, and 3,100 in England. It is a relatively rare name though; in Ireland it only makes up 0.46% of the population and in Scotland it covers just 0.16% of the population.
Outside of the British Isles, the name has spread to nations once part of the British Empire such as Canada and the United States. It is also found in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It is also found in Germany, Austria, and other countries with Irish diaspora.
Though it is not extremely common, the McPhadden surname is still widely used today and is found in many countries around the world.
Variations of the surname McPhadden
The surname McPhadden has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variant is Mac Pheadain, which is the anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name Mac Pheadáin. Other variants include Mac Pheddan, Mac Fadden, MacPhadin, MacFaddin, MacFadin, McFaddin, McFadden, MacPhadon, McFaddan, McFaddon, MacFaddan, and McPhadden.
All of these spellings and surnames are related to the Irish surname Mac Pheadáin, which translates as “son of Pheadáin”. Pheadáin was the first name of an ancient king of the tuath or kingdom of Uí Tuirtriáin, which is located in County Kerry, Ireland. The name is derived from the Gaelic word phead, which translates as “lord” or “master”.
Many of these Mac Pheadáin families migrated to Scotland and England over the centuries and so adopted localized spelling variations of their surname, such as McPhaddin, McFaddin and McFadden in Scotland, and MacFaddon and McFaddon in England.
The McPhadden spelling is now the most widely recognized variant of the surname in both the United States and England. As a result, the name has become very popular among those of Irish descent in the US. It is also sometimes spelled as MacFadden or McFadden in the US.
Famous people with the name McPhadden
- Richard McPhadden: American fashion photographer
- Gordon McPhadden: British entrepreneur and investor
- Robert McPhadden: American film producer
- Tom McPhadden: American musician
- Janet McPhadden: American physician
- Terry McPhadden: British actor
- William McPhadden: American architect
- Paul McPhadden: Irish actor
- James McPhadden: Scottish footballer
- Kevin McPhadden: Canadian actor
- Virginia McPhadden: American entrepreneur
- Charlie McPhadden: British comedian
- Henry McPhadden: English video game designer
- Wally McPhadden: American professional wrestler
- Mark McPhadden: Canadian broadcaster and journalist
- John McPhadden: Australian lawyer and politician
- Richard McPhadden: American computer scientist
- Austin McPhadden: American Christian author
- Davey McPhadden: New Zealand author
- Joseph McPhadden: American poet and lyricist