What is the Difference between Mc and Mac?

A Dozen Things you Might not Know about Irish Names

Strictly speaking, there is no difference between Mac and Mc. The contraction from Mac to Mc has occurred more in Ireland than in Scotland, with two out of three Mc surnames originating in Ireland, but two out of three Mac surnames originating in Scotland.

What does Mac or Mc Mean in a Name?

Scottish and Irish patronymic surnames frequently have the prefix Mac or Mc. When these surnames were originally developed, they were formed by adding the Gaelic word mac , which means son of, to the name of the original bearers father. For example, the surname MacDougall literally means son of Dougal.

Why do Scottish Names Start with Mac?

The MacDiarmids originated in Perthshire. The most common surname in Scotland beginning with 'Mac'. In Gaelic, mac means 'son of' and so MacDonald means 'son of Donald'. Donald is a name of Gaelic origin that means 'world ruler' and MacDonald is the anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Dhomhnuill.

Is Mac a MC?

Mc is just an abbreviation of Mac, and both can actually be abbreviated further to the much less common M'. As you might guess from this, the myth that a Mac name denotes Scottish heritage while a Mc name denotes Irish heritage is simply not true.

What does the O in Irish Names Mean?

In contrast to Mc- and Mac-, found in both Ireland and Scotland, the prefix O' is unique to Ireland. It is derived from the Gaelic word “ua,” also abbreviated as uí or Ó, meaning “grandson of.” Thus any name beginning with O' is without question an Irish patronymic. The prefix Fitz- is also found in Irish surnames.