Surname MacAteer - Meaning and Origin

MacAteer: What does the surname MacAteer mean?

The last name MacAteer (also spelled McAteer) is an Irish name from the Gaelic Mac an tSaoir, meaning "son of the wright". The name likely originally referred to descendants of craftsmen such as carpenters, builders, millwrights, or cooperators. Given the nature of the occupation, many of these families were traditionally located in rural locations.

The MacAteers have a long history, tracing their roots back to the time before the Patrician Wars when the O’Neill’s (the High King of Ireland) held sway. In the last few centuries, the surname has been more numerous in counties Fermanagh and Cavan.

The family name seems to have adapted to the culture and political milieu of Scotland, England, and the United States, and is today found in all four countries. Those bearing this proud name can often be identified by their distinctively pronounced names.

Most recently, the name MacAteer has been in the spotlight given the recent prominence of former general and presidential candidate Patrick MacAteer, who served as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1999 to 2004. During his time in the military, he showed commendable leadership qualities.

The distinguished name MacAteer is remembered as a proud and hardworking family with a long heritage as craftsmen and builders. As the name continues to exhibit stability within the various regions it has inhabited, its legacy remains as sturdy and courageous as those that bear it.

MacAteer: Where does the name MacAteer come from?

The last name MacAteer is mostly associated with people who are of Irish and Northern Irish descent. It is most popular in Ulster, the northern-most province of Ireland. MacAteer is a variant of the name MacIntyre, and can be found in Scotland and Ireland.

In Ireland, the MacAteer name is very common in Ulster. The vast majority of these are in Northern Ireland, with a few in the Republic. For example, in the 2001 census, there were more than 650 people with the surname MacAteer living in Northern Ireland. It is one of the 50 most common surnames in Ulster.

In Scotland, the MacAteer name is much less common than in Ireland, but it still exists. MacAteer has been found in various parts of the country, especially the Highlands and Islands, with the Scottish island of Mull having a particularly high concentration. It is also fairly common in online genealogical databases linked to Scotland, such as SCRAN.

The United States is also home to a significant population of MacAteers. The surname was brought to the US by Irish and Scottish immigrants during the great migrations of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During this time, many MacAteers settled in places like Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey. As a result, there are now many people living in the United States with the name MacAteer.

Variations of the surname MacAteer

MacAteer is an Irish surname, derived from the Gaelic personal name Mac an tSaoir, meaning 'son of the craftsman'. Other variants and spellings of MacAteer include MacAnTsaor, Mac An Tsaor, MacAtee, MacAtty, MacAttee, MacAtte, MacAtter and MacAttyer.

Surnames with a similar origin include McAteer, McAteer, McCater, McCator, MacTer, Mac Tor, MacTore, MacTar, MacTyr, MacTeir and MacTuer.

The variant surnames MacTear and MacTeer are also found in Scotland, where they were taken to by the MacDonald clan. MacTear can also be Anglicized as MacTier, while some branches of the family have adopted the standard Irish spelling of MacAteer.

The surname MacTear is also found in Ireland, often used by men of the same family but who had different fathers and/or mothers. However, MacTear is most commonly seen in Scotland, where it was adopted by both Huguenot and Irish emigrants in the eighteenth century.

The variant MacSweer or MacSweir is another related name, which became MacSweer or MacSweer-MacAteer in Scotland, where the -er suffix was added to the original MacSweer surname. The combination McAtty-MacSweer can be traced back to Ulster and Scotland, where the McAttys were an important part of the Irish colonial planters who moved to Scotland in the 1500s.

The surname MacTea also has similar origins, and is believed to be a variant of MacTear. This Scottish form of the name is also found in Scotland and Ireland.

In conclusion, there are numerous variants and spellings of the MacAteer surname that date back many centuries, including surnames with a similar origin such as MacTear, MacTeer, MacSweer, MacTea and McAtty-MacSweer.

Famous people with the name MacAteer

• Gaelle MacAteer: Gaelle is a designer and cultural engineer from Switzerland known for her unique approaches to socio-cultural issues.
• Francis MacAteer: Francis is an Irish Michelin-starred chef, author, and television personality.
• Sean MacAteer: Sean is an American musician, producer, and audio engineer based in Los Angeles, California.
• Duncan MacAteer: Duncan is an award-winning Scottish actor known for his roles in films such as Trainspotting and Shallow Grave.
• Niamh MacAteer: Niamh is an Irish television presenter and actor, best known as the former presenter of the RTÉ One celebrity chat show The Penny Dreadful Show.
• Siobhan MacAteer: Siobhan is an English singer-songwriter who achieved success as a teen and has continued to have critical and commercial success throughout adult life.
• Maeve MacAteer: Maeve is a Canadian actress best known for her roles “Mae” in Humaat and “Rosalinda” in All We Salute.
• Alison MacAteer: Alison is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist. She is a co-founder of the charity organization Wings Of Change.
• Tilly MacAteer: Tilly is an English footballer playing for Birmingham City.
• Daniel MacAteer: Daniel is an Australian television writer and actor known for his work on series such as SeaChange and Please Like Me.

Other surnames

MacAtee