Surname McTernan - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
McTernan: What does the surname McTernan mean?
The surname McTernan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Thighearnáin", which translates to "son of the lord or master". The prefix "Mac" indicates "son of" and "Thighearnáin" is a diminutive form of "Tighearna", meaning "lord or master". Thus, the entire surname implies a familial or ancestral connection to leadership or nobility. The McTernan family originally resided in Sligo, a county in the Connacht Province of Northwestern Ireland, where the name was quite common. This name is often Anglicized as "MacTiernan" or "McTiernan". Like many Irish surnames, the exact meaning can vary and may also include deeper metaphorical or historical connotations. It is important to note the vast influence that the Gaelic language and Irish cultural traditions have had on the formation and interpretation of Irish surnames like McTernan.
Order DNA origin analysisMcTernan: Where does the name McTernan come from?
The last name McTernan is of Irish origin. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Mac Thiarnáin", derived from "Mac" meaning son and "Thiarnáin" being a diminutive of "tighearna" which means lord. Therefore, the surname implies "son of the little lord". This name was primarily associated with County Sligo in the Connacht province of western Ireland.
As with many Irish surnames, many McTernans migrated during the time of the Great Famine in the mid-19th century, spreading the name to other parts of the globe. Today, the name is common not only in Ireland, but also in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, where there are significant populations of Irish descendants. Despite the dispersal, the highest concentration of people with the McTernan surname is still found in Ireland, predominantly in the regions of Sligo and Leitrim.
Variations of the surname McTernan
The surname McTernan originates from Ireland. It's derived from the Gaelic "Mac Thighearnáin," meaning "son of the lord or master." This name has been spelled in various ways, particularly due to phonetic transcription during its origin period, changing each time it was recorded based on how it sounded.
Several variant spellings for this surname are MacTernan, M'Ternan, McTiernan, Mcternan, Tiernan, Tearnon, MacTiernan, Mctiernan, Mackernan, McKernan, Kernan, and MacTearnon. Among these, McTiernan and McKernan are highly common.
Sometimes the prefix Mc or Mac can be dropped, leading to variants like Tiernan or Kernan. These surnames might be spelled differently but are fundamentally of the same origin.
It's worth noting that although these names share a common origin, different branches of the family could have adopted different spellings over time, meaning not all individuals with these surnames are necessarily closely related. The sounds and spelling of names frequently changed in both Ireland and immigrant nations due to various reasons like literacy rate, pronunciation, etc.
Famous people with the name McTernan
- Alison McTernan: British actress
- Asa McTernan: Irish actor
- Conor McTernan: Co-founder of Irish software company Daleon Technologies
- David McTernan: Irish footballer
- Emily McTernan: Irish actress
- Francis McTernan: Irish historian
- Gerald McTernan: American actor
- John McTernan: Australian Social commentator
- Mark McTernan: English composer
- Mary McTernan: American nurse and author of the popular young adult book Bad Hair Day.
- Robert McTernan: American photographer and filmmaker
- Siobhan McTernan: Irish actress
- Stephen McTernan: Irish actor
- Tom McTernan: Irish actor