Surname McTierney - Meaning and Origin

McTierney: What does the surname McTierney mean?

The surname McTierney is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Tighearnain," which means “son of Tighearnán.” The name Tighearnán itself can be dissected into two parts, whereby 'tighearna' means 'lord' or 'master,' and the 'án' suffix is a diminutive. Thus, the full meaning of Tighearnán could be interpreted as 'little lord' or 'young lord.' Therefore, someone bearing the McTierney surname would be known as the 'son of the little lord.'

It's worth noting that family names in Ireland were frequently created by adding 'Mac' (meaning 'son of') or 'Ó' (meaning 'descendant of') before the name of a distinguished ancestor or the forefather of a clan. Over time, as these surnames were anglicized, versions like McTierney or Tierney became more common.

Like many other Irish surnames, McTierney is associated with specific regions in Ireland, notably Monaghan and Tyrone. Each variation of the surname can trace lineage back to a distinct clan with its own set of traditions and history, making surnames an essential part of understanding ancient Irish genealogy and identity.

McTierney: Where does the name McTierney come from?

The last name McTierney has its origins in Ireland. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Mac Tighearnáin," which stands for "son of Tighearnán." In this context, the name "Tighearnán" means "lord" or "master." Given its Irish origins, it's likely that the surname initially signified the son of a lord or someone of high status in society.

Despite significant diaspora, Ireland remains a common place for the last name McTierney today. However, due to the historical mass emigration known as the Great Famine in the mid-19th century, Irish surnames including McTierney have spread globally. Today, it can also be found in countries like the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom where Irish descendants settled in significant numbers. Nonetheless, its distribution outside Ireland is still comparatively less common.

Variations of the surname McTierney

The surname McTierney has its roots in the Gaelic term "Mac Tighearnaigh", which means "son of Tighearnach", a personal name meaning "lord" or "master". Over the years, it has evolved and branched out to have several variants and spellings which include but are not limited to: McTernan, McTernahan, McTernen, McTearnan, McTernon, McTiernan, McTiernon, MacTiernan, MacTernan and McTiernney.

McTierney may also be anglicized as Tierney or Ternan, removing the Gaelic prefix 'Mc' or 'Mac'. And as it evolved, it sometimes changed completely with the Anglicisation process to become Lord or Masters, reflecting the original meaning of the Gaelic name.

Despite this variety of spellings, they all generally point to the same Irish heritage. However, without specific genealogical data, it is impossible to confirm if all individuals with these surnames are of the same familial lineage. The myriad of spellings might have arisen due to illiteracy among early Irish immigrants who phonetically spelled their names, causing divergent spellings of the same historic surname.

Famous people with the name McTierney

• Stephen McTierney: Former professional hockey player for the Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins.
• David McTierney: Professional lacrosse player for the National Lacrosse League's Buffalo Bandits and an assistant coach at Rutgers University.
• Jake McTierney: Professional soccer player for the USL's Pittsburgh Riverhounds and former MLS player for the Portland Timbers.
• Charlie McTierney: Former professional baseball player for the New York Metropolitans and the Milwaukee Brewers.
• Marty McTierney: Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the Wisconsin-based rock band Castaway Stones.
• Jack McTierney: Producer and director with credits including the 2018 feature film 'Emperor'.
• John McTierney: Former politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1987 to 2010.
• Paul McTierney: Actor, screenwriter and award-winning film director with credits including 'The View From The Well' and 'Daydream Believer'.
• Anna McTierney: Award-winning writer, director, film producer and cinematographer.
• Jessica McTierney: Crime researcher and international speaker, focusing on both theoretical and practical aspects of using data and evidence in police analytically informed trials.

Other surnames

McTiernan