Surname McRobbie - Meaning and Origin
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McRobbie: What does the surname McRobbie mean?
The last name McRobbie is an anglicized variation of the Scottish Gaelic surname MacRobie. The prefix “Mac” (or the occasionally found “Mc”) is a Gaelic patronymic, meaning “son of”. The Gaelic form of the surname is “MacRoba” or “MacRobie”, both meaning “son of Robert”. As such, it is most likely derived from the popular medieval personal name “Robert”. Whilst popular throughout medieval Scotland, it is believed that the majority of individuals with the surname McRobbie are descended from the Clan MacRibhey, located on the east coast of Scotland.
The earliest recorded use of the McRobbie surname is in a document from the late 1600s, which records the baptism of a child named Gilbert MacRobie in Laggan, Inverness in April 1673. The McRobbie surname has been in use since then, and has spread throughout Scotland, particularly to the west coast and the Highlands. The spelling of McRobbie was and still is extremely varied, with other variations including MacRobie, McRobie, and even MacRobbie.
Today, the McRobbie surname is prevalent throughout Scotland, and can be found all over the world. Some notable individuals with the surname McRobbie include the Lord Provost William McRobbie, who served as the last leader of Glasgow in the late nineteenth century, and the industrialist and politician Thomas McRobbie, who served as a Lord Provost in Dundee in the early twentieth century.
Order DNA origin analysisMcRobbie: Where does the name McRobbie come from?
The last name McRobbie is most commonly found today in Scotland, Ireland, and England. It is likely to have been derived from the Scottish Gaelic surname MacMhuirich, in which 'mhuir' or 'muir' means 'son of the sea'. It is a common surname found across the Highlands of Scotland and in its islands. In Ireland, there are two distinct branches of this same surname – MacRobie and MacRoibin – which may have the same root word.
In the United Kingdom, the McRobbie surname is not particularly common today. It is most prevalent in Scotland, by far, though there are also a few scattered families in England, Wales, and Ireland. The name is more common in Scotland's northern Highlands than in the islands or southern Lowlands. The most commonly cited source of this name is from the Northern Highland region of Scotland.
It is worth noting that while the McRobbie surname is becoming more and more rare in Scotland, it is still frequently found in Ireland, where it is often spelled as MacRoibeirt instead of the original McRobbie. This surname, along with the other variations of MacRobie and MacRoibin, is still given to baby boys side-by-side with the more modern surnames. The McRobbie surname is thus still a common one, though largely confined to Scotland, Ireland, and England.
Variations of the surname McRobbie
McRobbie is a surname of Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from the Gaelic MacRobaidh. It is pronounced similarly to its English cognate, Robbie. Variants of this surname include MacRobbie and MacRobie as well as more phonetically similar spellings, such as McRobb and McRobby.
The surname MacRobaidh translates as "son of Robert" and is most often found in Scotland and the United States. In Scotland, it mainly appears in the east of the country, particularly in the old counties of Angus, Forfarshire, Kincardineshire and Perthshire. Many Scots emigrated to the USA in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the surname can also be found across Australia, Canada and Europe.
McRobbie can also be a variant of the surnames MacRobb and McRobb, which are derived from the Gaelic MacRaibeirt and the Old Norse personal name Hrœrekr, respectively. Other spellings of McRobbie include MacRobby and MacRobie.
Frequently seen surnames related to McRobbie include McRobb, MacRobby, MacRobie, MacRobb, McRobb, McRobby, MacRaibeirt, and Hrœrekr. People with the surname McRobbie may have other, related surnames, however these are the most common ones.
Famous people with the name McRobbie
- Karen McRobbie: An award-winning Scottish television actress, she is best known for her portrayal of Fiona in the BBC Scotland series River City.
- Helen McRobbie: A Scottish actress, she appeared in the film Bleak Moments and was involved in the experimental film studio W.I.T.C.H.
- George McRobbie: A Scottish politician, he was a Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (MP) from 2006 to 2010.
- Susan McRobbie: A Scottish comedienne, she has been a presenter on BBC Scotland's The Comedy Underground, a weekly panel show.
- Keith McRobbie: A British actor, he is best known for his roles in the films The Last Seduction and She's All That.
- Jack McRobbie: A Paralympic athlete, he won a gold medal in rowing at the 1968 Summer Paralympics.
- Alan McRobbie: A British physicist, he is known for his contributions to the theory of electrical conduction in solids.
- Doug McRobbie: An American filmmaker and actor, he is known for his roles in the films Not Quite Human and Willard.
- James McRobbie: A British businessman, he is the former CEO of the BBC Worldwide.
- Nicholas McRobbie: A British television executive, he is the Chairman of the BBC Trust.