Surname Mac Eraird - Meaning and Origin
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Mac Eraird: What does the surname Mac Eraird mean?
The last name Mac Eraird (sometimes spelled MacEraird or MacEriard) is a Scottish surname believed to be taken from the Gaelic term “Mac Eire” meaning “son of the land” or “son of Ireland”. It originated in the Middle Ages when the Scottish MacEriards began to settle in Ireland from the island of Islay. The clan was powerful, wealthy, and respected, holding many important positions in both Scottish and Irish high society.
The clan's motto was "Grip Fast", and the origins of this motto lay in the family's reputation throughout history as “land-holders with a strong grip”. This meant that they held their land in an iron grip and defended it vigorously throughout its history.
The Mac Eraird clan was divided at the time of the Anglo-Norman arrival in Ireland. After the Great Famine of the mid-1800s, a large part of the clan emigrated to the United States and Australia. Today, many people of Irish descent can trace their lineage to the MacEraird clan, and many others can attest to the longevity and durability of this proud, noble, and ancient family.
Order DNA origin analysisMac Eraird: Where does the name Mac Eraird come from?
The last name Mac Eraird is primarily a Scottish surname originating in the Highland regions of Scotland. It is not incredibly common throughout most of the UK, however its most common occurrences are still largely concentrated in Scotland today. In particular, it is most common in the Scottish islands including Islay, Mull and Skye, as well as the upland regions of the Scottish mainland such as The Highlands and Perthshire.
The surname is of a "Gaelic-origin" indicated by its usage of the prefix "Mac" meaning son of or "daughter of". Because of this, the name is connected to Irish-Gaelic as well as Scotland's more recent Norse connections. The "Eraird" part of the name has been speculated to be linked directly to the Gaelic word, "Diarmaid" which translates roughly to "without envy" or "without hatred".
The name is also relatively common in North America, where many of Scotland's Highland migrants would have taken the name with them in their travels to the New World. It is most common in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario and British Columbia which have welcomed generations of Scottish immigrants since the late 1700s. Moreover, it has also been suggested, due to the prevalence of the name in mandatory US Census records in the 1700-1800s, that migrants from Scotland would have also spread the name to other parts of the United States, such as Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Variations of the surname Mac Eraird
The Mac Eraird surname is an Irish patronymic name meaning "son of Edward" or "son of Erard" and is anglicized to Mac Erayrd, Mac Erard and Mac Eraird. It originated in County Donegal and County Tyrone, Ireland and is now found through the British Isles, North America and Canada.
The various spellings of this surname include MacErard, MacErayrd, MacEraird, MacEraerd, Erard, Errard, Ererd, Erar, Erayrd, Erayrdd, and Eraret.
Surnames related to Mac Eraird include Ard, Aird, Artridge, Ardington, Ardell, Ardery, Eardley and Earle. In Canada and the United States, these surnames have taken on slightly different spellings, such as: MacErard, MacErayrd, Mac Erard, MacErart, MacErret, Erret, Erhard, and Erhardt.
Additionally, variants of the name through phonetic spellings include MacErite, MacEird, MacErray, MacErayt, MacEarld, MacErild, MacErald, Artell, Arthorn, Eryrd, and Eyrrd. Some of these variants are more common in the United States than in Canada.
For Scottish variants, the surname takes on a variety of spellings such as MacErrard or MacErrand, Errd, Errad, Erraden, Errand, Errandine, Erreday, and Erredelle.
In terms of the anglicised version, the spelling MacErayrd is the most commonly seen, while MacErar is often used in Scotland.
Overall, the surname Mac Eraird has a lot of variants and spellings, making it difficult to trace. It is important to remember that the different spellings represent the same origin and can be used interchangeably when researching the surname.
Famous people with the name Mac Eraird
- Eóin Mac Éirí
- Liam Mac Éric
- Pádraic Mac Éirí
- Peadar Mac Éirc
- Ciarán Mac Éirí
- Uinseann Mac Éirí
- Ruarí Mac Éirí
- Seosamh Mac Éirí
- Gráinne Mac Éirí
- Mícheál Mac Éirithe