Surname McPhail - Meaning and Origin
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McPhail: What does the surname McPhail mean?
The surname McPhail is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name "Fáelán", which means "little wolf". The name was Anglicized as "Pháel" and then further modified to "Phail". The prefix "Mc" or "Mac" in Scottish and Irish names means "son of", so McPhail can be understood as "son of Phail" or "son of little wolf". Many Scottish families took their last names from patronymics, or names based on the father's name, which is likely how this surname came into being. Over time, the name spread throughout Scotland and to other English-speaking countries through migration. It is important to note that the meanings associated with this surname are historical and linguistic in nature, and may not necessarily imply any characteristics about individuals bearing this surname today.
Order DNA origin analysisMcPhail: Where does the name McPhail come from?
The surname McPhail is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Phàil," meaning "son of Paul." It is a patronymic surname, a common practice in Gaelic culture where the surname refers to the ancestor (in this case, Paul) from whom the family line descends. The historical region associated with this surname is predominantly Argyllshire along with the Hebrides islands.
Even though Scots migrated globally over centuries, a significant number of McPhails can still be found in Scotland today. Outside of Scotland, the surname has spread to other English-speaking countries through emigration, especially during the Highland Clearances in the 18th and 19th centuries when many Scots were forced to leave their homeland due to social and economic changes. As a result, the McPhail surname is also reasonably common today in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In the United States, regions with higher concentrations of individuals with the McPhail surname tend to be those with substantial Scottish or Scotch-Irish ancestry.
Variations of the surname McPhail
The surname McPhail has roots in Scotland and Ireland, and so there are several spellings and variations, often due to phonetic translations between Gaelic and English, or different regions’ dialects. The original Gaelic form of the name is Mac Pháil, meaning “son of Paul”.
Variants include: McFail, McFayle, McPhale, McPhiel, McPhile, McPhaile, McPhayle, MacPhail, MacFail, MacFayle, MacPhale, MacPhiel, MacPhile, MacPhaile, MacPhayle. There could also likely be variants that begin with "Mac" or "Mc" followed by a phonetic variation of Paul, like Pail or Paile.
Moreover, in the past some English-speakers misheard the initial "Mc/Mac" and so recorded names like Fale, Fail, Fale, Phale, Phail, Phayle, Phil, Pheil, Pheile, etc. These names might seem unrelated, but could originate from the same Gaelic name.
It may be also possible, though rare, to find the surname translated directly into English, for instance as "Pauleson" or "Paulson". However, these English forms are typically related to the similar Scandinavian names, instead of the Gaelic Mc/Mac Pháil.
Famous people with the name McPhail
- Derek McPhail, Canadian ice hockey player
- Junie McPhail, American film editor
- Addison McPhail, Country music singer
- Robert McPhail, British architect
- William Melville McPhail, Canadian politician
- Davie McPhail, Scottish fishing instructor
- James McPhail, New Zealand rugby union player
- Mark McPhail, American police officer
- Jean McPhail, American businesswoman
- Donnie McPhail, American fire chief.