Surname McPhie - Meaning and Origin

McPhie: What does the surname McPhie mean?

The surname McPhie has Scottish origins and is derived from the Gaelic name Mac Dhuibhshíthe, which means “son of Duibhshíth”. This Gaelic name is a composite of two elements. The first part "Dubh" means black or dark and the second part "síth" translates to peace. Therefore, the literal meaning can be interpreted as "dark peace" or "son of dark peace". It's also possible that "Dubh" refers to black hair or a dark complexion, common attributes in the Celtic people. This name is often Anglicised as MacFee, McPhee, or MacDuffie. Like many surnames, it was likely originally a nickname or descriptor that became a hereditary surname. Members of the McPhie family can be found throughout Scotland, particularly in the region of Argyll and Bute.

McPhie: Where does the name McPhie come from?

The surname McPhie is primarily of Scottish origin. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Dhuibhshíthe, which roughly translates to "son of the dark man of peace." The surname traces its roots back to the western Isles of Scotland. It appears in several areas including Colonsay, Skye, and North Uist.

Today, the surname is primarily found in Scotland, in the region of Dumfriesshire. It is also common in Canada, more so in areas that witnessed significant Scottish immigration in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is also found, though less commonly, in other English-speaking countries like the U.S and Australia. Despite its presence in these areas, McPhie is still considered a rare last name.

Variations of the surname McPhie

The surname McPhie is primarily of Scottish origin. It's an anglicization of the Gaelic name "Mac Dhuibhshíthe", which is made up of the elements "mac" (son of), "dubh" (black), and "síth" (peace). The McPhie surname has several variants including McFie, MacPhee, MacPhe, MacFie, Mackfie, MacFye and McFee.

The surname McPhie may also be related to the Irish surname Murphy, which is "Ó Murchadha" in Gaelic and means "descendant of sea warrior". The pronunciation of Murphy was somewhat similar to McPhie in certain Gaelic dialects, leading to some crossover and confusion.

In terms of spelling variants, it may sometimes be found as McPhee or even MacPhie. The prefix "Mac" or "Mc" can also be dropped, leading to versions like Phie, Phe, or Fie.

It should be noted that the exact spellings and variants can vary greatly due to historical spelling inconsistencies, phonetic spelling and anglicization of Gaelic names. Over time, different branches of the same family could end up with slightly or very different surnames. Thus, all these names may be connected and could potentially be traced back to the same original family line.

Famous people with the name McPhie

• Jordan McPhie: Actor and social media influencer, known for his roles in TV series such as "Variety Club" (2018) and "High Side" (2020).
• Toby McPhie: Writer and producer, best known for writing and producing the films "The polar Inn" (2015) and "The Last Lift" (2018).
• Stirling McPhie: Actor, best known for his roles in the Netflix Original series "With Love, April" (2016) and the ABC TV series "The Piece Of The Puzzle" (2018).
• Jim McPhie: Drummer for the British indie rock band The Vaccines, active since 2010.
• Marcia McPhie: Co-founder and CEO of Nectar Sleep, a company focused on providing innovative sleep products and solutions, such as the Nectar Memory Foam mattress.
• Murray McPhie: Celebrity chef and restaurateur, known for his appearances on the television series "Chopping Block" (2016) and "Cook TV" (2018).
• Shanice McPhie: Artist and photographer, best known for her work exploring the relationship between textiles and expressionism, exhibited in galleries around the world.
• Allie McPhie: Singer and songwriter, known for her debut single "Lost in the Night" (2018) and her second single "Stand Tall" (2020).
• Timothy McPhie: Jazz musician and composer, known for his albums "Passages" (2010) and "Jazz Pathways" (2015).
• Helen McPhie- Hill: Activist and author, best known for her books "The Art of Standing Out" (2013) and "The Power of Perception" (2017).

Other surnames

McPhillips