Are All ‘Mc’ Surnames Scottish?

If your family has an Irish background, you’ll likely encounter a few Mc_s in your family tree. But isn’t “Mc” or “Mac” a Scottish prefix, not Irish? Let’s see.

A Gaelic Prefix

The word “mac” in Gaelic means “son of.” So MacDonald, for instance, means “son of Donald.” “Mac” is sometimes shortened to “Mc,” hence the common spelling “McDonald.” Around 1 in 8 Scottish surnames use this prefix. Sometimes “Mac” surnames are shortened even further, with “Mac” becoming “C,” as in Cody, or even “K,” as in Keegan.

In Ireland, however, the prefix “O’” is often used instead of “Mac.” For example, O’Brien means “grandson/descendant of Brien.” If a surname has the prefix “O’,” it is generally of Irish origin. However, “Mac” surnames were formed both in Scotland and in Ireland.

A Brief History of “Mac” Surnames

If you or someone else in your family tree have a “Mac” surname, it’s important to understand a little about their history. Consider a few notes:

• Ireland was a country where multiple kings fought for supremacy. If one king conquered another’s land, some local families might change their surnames to honour the new king, to get on his good side. So even if someone today has a surname originating from a famous king, this does not always mean that they are a lineal descendant.
• As English rule grew stronger in the 1600s, many Irish families dropped the prefixes “Mac” or “O’” to evade discrimination. However, in the 1800s some of their descendants reinstated the original prefixes, although sometimes choosing the wrong one (eg, “Mc” instead of “O’”).
• Many Scottish families, mostly from the Lowlands, migrated to Ireland during the Ulster Plantation of the 1600s. If you have Ulster ancestors who were Presbyterians rather than Catholics, then there’s a fair chance your family may descend from these Scottish settlers.
• Most “Mc” surnames originate from Ireland, whereas most “Mac” surnames originate from Scotland. In both cases, the percentage is around 65%.
• The Irish had difficulty pronouncing the letter “d,” as in the Scottish “MacDonald,” so if a family with this surname migrated to Ireland, the locals might pronounce their name “MacHonalh,” very similar to McConnell, my own surname.

Conclusion

Not all “Mac” surnames are Scottish. The origins of the prefix were more linguistic than strictly geographical, as “Mac” is of Gaelic origin, and appears both in Scotland and in Ireland.

Bibliography:

National Records of Scotland. (2013). National Records of Scotland. [online] National Records of Scotland. Available at: https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/names/occasional-papers/occasional-paper-no-9-surnames-in-scotland-over-the-last-140-years

http://www.britannica.com. (n.d.). Mac | Surname, Genealogy, Definition, & Origin | Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mac-surname-prefix

The Irish Times. (n.d.). A dozen things you might not know about Irish names. [online] Available at: https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/a-dozen-things-you-might-not-know-about-irish-names-1.2842791