These
names are used by Celtic peoples.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
MAGHERY IrishName for a resident of the village of town of Maghery in Northern Ireland.
MAHER Irish (Rare)The originally spelling was "O'Meachair" which means the 'kindly' or the 'generous'. The Maher family resided in the O'Carrol...
[more] MALONEY IrishAnglicized form of the Old Irish "Ó Maoldhamhnaigh," which means "descendant of a church servant."
MANEELY WelshA Welsh surname derived from 'map Neely' or 'son of Neely'
MANGAN IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic Ó Mongáin ‘descendant of Mongán’, originally a byname for someone with a luxuriant head of hair (from mong ‘hair’, ‘mane’), borne by families from Connacht, County Limerick, and Tyrone...
[more] MANTON Irish (Anglicized)Anglicized form of Gaelic
Ó Manntáin "descendant of
Manntán", a personal name derived from a diminutive of
manntach "toothless". Famous bearers include Thomas J. Manton, an American congressman, and Joseph Manton, a British gunsmith (b.1766, d.1835).
MAUGHAN Irish, EnglishAnglicized from the original Irish Gaelic form
Ò Mocháin meaning 'descendant of Mochain'. This name was one of the earliest known Irish surnames brought to England and remains a fairly common surname in the North East of the country.
MAYNE IrishIrish, of Norman English origin but in County Fermanagh used sometimes to represent
McManus.
MCALINDEN IrishFrom Irish Gaelic
Mac Giolla Fhiontáin "son of the servant of (St)
Fiontán", a personal name derived from
fionn "white".
MCASKIE IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Ascaidh, a patronymic from a diminutive of an Old Norse name, possibly Ascall or
ÁSKETILL.
MCCAFFERY IrishThe meaning of the surname MCCAFFERY is - the son of Godfrey (God's peace).
MCCAFFREY IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Gothraidh "son of Gothradh", Gaelic form of the personal name
GODFREY.
MCCALL Irish (Anglicized)Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Cathmhaoil meaning "son of Cathmhaol", a personal name composed of the elements cath meaning "battle" + maol meaning "chief". Anglicized form of Mac Cathail meaning "son of Cathal".
MCCALVEY IrishVariation of McKelvey. Meaning Son of rich possessions.
MCCARNEY IrishFrom either the Gaelic O Cearnaigh, meaning "victorious", or O Catharnaigh, meaning "warlike".
MCCARTAN Scottish GaelicAnglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Artáin (meaning ‘son of Artán’), which is a diminutive of the personal name
Art, meaning ‘bear’.
MCCARTNEY Scottish GaelicAnglicized form of Scottish Gaelic
Mac Artaine, (meaning ‘son of Artan’) which is a diminutive of the personal name
Art, meaning ‘bear’ or ‘hero’. Compare Irish Mac Artáin (see
McCartan), of which this surname is a variant.
MCCARTY IrishVariant of
MACCARTHY. A famous bearer was the famous western outlaw William Henry McCarty, also known as Billy the Kid. His other aliases included William H. Bonney and Henry Antrim.
MCCLARTY Scottish, IrishThe surname McClarty originated in the ancient Scottish kingdom of Dalriada. This name comes from the personal name Lawrence. And in Scottish Gaelic 'Mac Labhruinn' translates to 'son of Lawrence'. ...
[more] MCCLINTOCK Scottish, Irish, Scottish GaelicDeriving from an Anglicization of a Gaelic name variously recorded as M'Ilandick, M'Illandag, M'Illandick, M'Lentick, McGellentak, Macilluntud, McClintoun, Mac Illiuntaig from the 14th century onward...
[more] MCCLURE Scottish, IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Gille Uidhir (Scottish),
Mac Giolla Uidhir (Irish), "son of the sallow lad"....
[more] MCCOLGAN Irish, ScottishHas several possible meanings. It might mean someone from the village of Kilcolgan, County Galway; a follower of St.
Columba; or the son of someone named
Colga. The McColgans once held a family seat in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
MCCOOK IrishPre 7th Century Anglo Saxon. From the word "coc," meaning to cook.
MCCORRY IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Gothraidh "son of Gothradh", Gaelic form of the personal name
GODFREY.
MCCRARY IrishAnglicization of the Gaelic surname Mac Ruaidhrí, which means "Son of
Rory".
MCCURTAIN IrishFrom Gaelic
Mac Cruitín "son of
Cruitín", a nickname for a hunchback.
MCDONNELL Scottish, IrishVariant spelling of Macdonald. It is also an anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic surname Mac Domhnaill, which means "son of Donald".
MCELHENNEY IrishThis interesting surname is of Irish origin, and is an Anglicized form of the Old Gaelic "MacGiolla Chainnigh". The Gaelic prefix "mac" means "son of", plus "giolla", devotee of, and the saint's name "Canice".
MCELWEE Irish, ScottishOf Gaelic origin, found in Ireland and Scotland. Derives from
Mac giolla Ruaidh, meaning "son of the servant of the red-haired youth", possibly a reference to a Dane or Norseman.
MCFADDEN Scottish, IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Phaid(e)in (Scottish) and
Mac Pháidín (Irish) - both patronymics of Patrick (via Gaelic diminutives of the given name).
MCGARTHWAITE IrishThis is my last name, my fathers last name my grandfather my great grandfather
MCGILLAN IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Giolla Eoin meaning "son of the servant of
EOIN".
MCGILLICUDDY IrishThe surname McGillicuddy comes from the Irish Mac GiollaMochuda, meaning 'son of the devotee of St. Mochuda'. It's part of the O'Sullivan sect and comes from the West part of Ireland in county Kerry...
[more] MCGLYNN IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Mag Fhloinn, patronymic from the personal name
Flann "red, crimson".
MCGOUGH IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Mag Eochadha, a patronymic from the personal name
Eochaidh, variant
Eachaidh, "horseman", a derivative of
each "horse".
MCGRATH Irish (Anglicized)Derives from the Irish surname Mac Craith. Famous bearers of the name include the Meic Craith from the Gaelic kingdom of Thomond in the present-day Republic of Ireland. They were historians and poets connected to the Ui Bhriain kings and earls of Thomond.
MCGRAW Irish, ScottishAnglicized form of the Old Gaelic
Mac Craith (the earlier form of
Mac Raith) meaning "son of Craith", composed of the Gaelic elements
mac "son of" and
Rath, an old byname meaning "grace, prosperity".
MCGREW IrishOriginally appeared in Gaelic as Mac Graith or Mag Raith; these are both derived from the personal name Craith.
MCHALE Irish, WelshFrom the Irish
Mac Céile, a patronymic from the byname
Céile, meaning "companion." This was the surname of a Mayo family, tenants of church lands. ...
[more] MCLERNON IrishThis is an Irish Gaelic surname recorded in the spellings of MacLerenon, McLernon, McLernan, and McLorinan. It is mostly associated with the province of Ulster in Ireland, although with some branches in Scotland...
[more] MCMANAMON IrishAnglicized form of
Mac Meanman, a patronymic surname, created from the given name
Meanma MCMORROW Irish (Anglicized), ScottishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Murchadha, a patronymic from the personal name
Murchadh "sea warrior", from
muir "sea" and
cath "battle". In Leinster this name is usually Anglicized as
McMurrough and in Ulster as
Murphy.
MCMULLAN IrishThe surname McMullan is of old Irish/ Gaelic Heritage, it is with meaning ‘Bald’ or ‘Tonsured One’. It was first founded in the province of Connacht, and comes from Mullan....
[more] MCNAIR IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Iain Uidhir "son of sallow John". This form is associated mainly with Ross-shire.
MCNAIR IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Mac an Oighre "son of the heir". This form is associated mainly with Perthshire.
MCNAIR IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Mac an Mhaoir "son of the steward or keeper".
MCNAMEE IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Conmidhe, a patronymic from the personal name Cú Mhidhe, meaning "hound of Meath". Meath is a county in Ierland. This family were hereditary poets in Ulster.
MCNEESE IrishIrish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Naois, a patronymic from a shortened form of the personal name
Aonghus (see
Angus).
MCNICHOLAS IrishThe McNicholas family stretches back through time to the Viking settlers who populated the rugged shores of Scotland in the Medieval era. The name McNicholas was derived from from the personal name, Nicholas...
[more] MCQUAID Scottish, IrishThis surname is derived from Gaelic
Mac Uaid meaning "son of Uaid," Uaid being the Gaelic form of
Wat.
MCTEER Irish, ScottishThis surname is a modern variant of the ancient
mhac an t'Saoir which means "the son of the carpenter."...
[more] MEREDITH WelshFrom the personal name
Maredudd. In Welsh the stress is on the second syllable. The Old Welsh form is
Morgetiud, of which the first element may mean "pomp, splendor" and the second is
iudd "lord".
MÉZEC BretonMézec derives from mezeg which means physician in Breton
MICK German, Dutch, IrishShort form of the given name
MIKOLAJ or an occupational name from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch
micke "(wheat or rye) bread". The name was reportedly taken from Germany to Ireland in the 18th century.
MOODY English, IrishEither from Middle English
modie "angry, haughty, impetuous", or Old English
modig "brave, proud".
MORAN IrishThe surname Moran, originating in counties Mayo and Sligo of Connaught, is the shortened version of O'Moran, Anglicized form of the older O'Morain "grandson of the great one" with the Old Irish root mor 'great, big' (denoting stature and/or character).
MORRISSEY IrishMorrissey is an Irish name meaning "choice of the sea".
MORTON IrishFrom the parish of Morton, in Nithsdale, Dumfriesshire, Scotland. Mor, big, great, and dun, ton, a hill.
MOYLE Cornish, WelshCornish and Welsh: descriptive nickname meaning ‘bald’, from Cornish
moyl, Welsh
moel.
MULDOON IrishFrom Irish Gaelic
Ó Maoldúin "descendant of
Maoldún", a personal name meaning literally "chief fortress".
MULKERIN IrishThe Irish surname Mulkerin is an anglicied rendering of the Gaelic surname O'Maoilchiarain which means ,literally, "descendant of a follower of Saint Ciaran", the Irish saint who founded the great monastery at Clonmacnois...
[more] MULLARKEY IrishFrom Irish Gaelic
Ó Maoilearca "descendent of the follower of (St)
Earc", a personal name meaning literally either "speckled one" or "salmon".
MULLERY Irish (Rare)From Irish Gaelic
Ó Maolmhuire "descendant of
Maolmhuire", a personal name meaning literally "servant of (the Virgin)
Mary".
MULVEY IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Ó Maoilmhiadhaigh "descendant of Maoilmhiadhach", a personal name meaning "honorable chief".
MULVIHILL IrishAnglicized from Gaelic
Ó Maoilmhichil, which derived from the sept or clan name
Uí Mhaoilmhichil, denoting to Patrons or Devotees of Saint Michael the Archangel.
MURLAND IrishMurland is an Irish surname, which according to MacLysaght's The Surnames of Ireland is MacMurghalain in Gaelic, ultimately deriving from words meaning "sea" and "valor".
MURROW Irish, ScottishVariant of
MORROW. A famous bearer of the surname was Edward R. Murrow (1908-1965), US radio and television journalist.
NARAMOR English, WelshNaramor, also Narramore or Naramore, is a corruption of Northmore, and has Welsh/English background. "More North"
NEESON Irish, Dutch, GermanIrish: reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Naois ‘son of Naois’, usually Anglicized as
McNeese. Can also be an altered form of Dutch or German
Niesen. Surname made famous by the actor
Liam Neeson
NESBITT Scottish, Irish, EnglishDerives from the hamlets of East Nisbet and West Nisbet, Berwickshire. Some bearers of Nisbet/Nesbitt (and variant) names may originate from the village of Nisbet in Roxburghshire.
NESTOR IrishDerived from the surname
Mac Girr an Adhastair (sometimes shortened to
Mac an Aghastair), meaning "Short man of the halter." The Mac Girr an Adhastair were associated with the local lords, the Ó Lochlainn family.
NETTERVILLE IrishOf Anglo-Norman origin, probably a habitational name from an unidentified place in France.
NOBLE English, Scottish, Irish, FrenchNickname from Middle English, Old French
noble "high-born, distinguished, illustrious" (Latin
nobilis), denoting someone of lofty birth or character, or perhaps also ironically someone of low station...
[more] NOCK Celtic, EnglishDweller at the oak tree; originally spelt as "Noake" evolved into "Nock".
Ó CANANN IrishMeans "descendant of
CANÁN". Canán is a given name derived from the word
cano "wolf cub".
O'CARROLL Irish (Anglicized)Originates from the ancient Gaelic name Mac Cearbhaill or O'Cearbhaill, deriving from the word "Cearbh" which means to "Hack". Making it a possible name for a warrior or blacksmith.
Ó CÉIRÍN IrishMeaning ‘descendant of
Céirín’, a personal name from a diminutive of
ciar ‘dark’, ‘black’. English patronymic
-s has been added superfluously.
Ó CIARÁIN IrishA byname from a diminutive of
ciar ‘dark’, ‘black-haired.'
Ó CRÓINÍN IrishIt literally means "little saffron-colored one’s descendant".
O'DEA IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Ó Deaghaidh, ‘descendant of
Deaghadh’, a personal name of uncertain origin. It may be a compound of
deagh- ‘good’ +
ádh ‘luck’, ‘fate’.
O'DUFFY IrishThe name O'Duffy originates from the gaelic surname "O Dubhthaigh". Dubh meaning "Black" in Gaeilge. They claim descent from the ancient Heremon kings of Ireland. They descend from "Cahir Mor", the King of Leinster in the second century...
[more] Ó DUIBHIDHIR IrishMeans "descendant of
DUIBHUIDHIR". Duibhuidhir is a personal name composed of the elements
dubh "dark, black" and
odhar "sallow, tawny".
O'FARRELL IrishFrom Irish
Ó Fearghail meaning "descendant of
FEARGHAL. This name is borne by several families in Ireland, in counties Longford, Tyrone, and Wicklow.
O'GALVIN IrishAnglicized form of
Ó Gealbháin, which means "descendant of the bright, fair one", derived from the Gaelic elements
geal "bright" and
ban "fair, white". A known bearer of the original form of the surname is Ciarán Ó Gealbháin, former signer of the Irish traditional music band Danú.
O'GRADY IrishAnglicized form of
Ó Gradaigh, meaning "descendant of Gradaigh." Gradaigh is a personal name derived from the Irish Gaelic word
grada, "the illustrious one."
ÓHEARCÁIN IrishThe surname ÓhEarcáin (Harkins) is derived from the Irish nickname of Erc or Earc meaning freckled. The diminutive of Erc or Earc is Ercáin or Earcáin. When the Irish alphabet added the aspirate “h” the name became hErcáin or hEarcáin with the hereditary surname prefixes Uí hErcáin, UahErcáin, ÓhEarcáin and (female)Ní Earcáin that was anglicized as Harkin, Harkan, or Harkins...
[more] O'HURLEY IrishThe name
Hurley itslef come from the stick used in the game of Hurling, first played in Ireland. The name might have origanated due to a player of the game being dubbed hurley. O' would signify being a decendent of Hurley, thus O'Hurley.
O'LONAIN IrishDerived from
lon ("blackbird") and a diminutive combined with
O ("grandson; male descendant").
O'MARA IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Ó Meadhra "descendant of Meadhair" a personal name derived from
meadhair "mirth".