Surname MacCorquodil - Meaning and Origin
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MacCorquodil: What does the surname MacCorquodil mean?
MacCorquodil is a Scottish surname of ancient origin. The surname is derived from the Gaelic "MacTorcadail" which means the "son of Torcadil". It is unsure what Torcadil means, but it might be associated with the Gaelic term 'torc' that means ‘wild boar'. It is also mentioned in some resources that it might come from an old Norse personal name Thorketill which means "Thor’s cauldron".
This surname is associated with the clan MacCorquodil or MacCorquodale who had a long history in the ancient county of Argyll on the west coast of Scotland. They traditionally claim descent from a prince of the Irish Dalriada, who is said to have settled in the 6th century in the area between Loch Awe and Loch Fyne, now particularly associated with the MacCorquodale clan.
Please note that like many ancient Scottish surnames, there are various spellings of MacCorquodale such as M'Corquodell, MacCorquidale, and M'Corquydill in old manuscripts and documents that reflect its phonetic spelling in Gaelic.
Order DNA origin analysisMacCorquodil: Where does the name MacCorquodil come from?
MacCorquodil, also spelled MacCorquodale or McCorquodale, is a Scottish surname. It originates from a Gaelic surname, Mac Torcadail, which means ‘son of Torcadal’. The name Torcadal is believed to come from the Norse name Thorketill, which itself was a personal name.
The MacCorquodil clan originated in the western highlands of Scotland, specifically around Loch Awe. By the 13th century, they also held estates in the lowlands of Lennox, and so morphed into a clan with both highland and lowland identities.
Today, the surname MacCorquodil is most common in Scotland, particularly in the areas of Argyll and Bute, as well as North Lanarkshire. Variants of the surname can be found among the Scottish diaspora across the world, especially in countries such as Canada, the United States, and Australia. Although not a particularly common name, it remains associated with Scottish heritage and ancestry. The concentration of the surname, however, remains highest in Scotland.
Variations of the surname MacCorquodil
Like many Gaelic surnames, MacCorquodil has been transcribed into English in a variety of ways over the centuries. The most common variants are MacCorquodale, McCorquodale, McCorquedale, and McCorqudale. Other possible variations include MacCorkindale, McCorkindale, or even MacCorkle, though these may also derive from different surnames.
The prefix "Mac" and "Mc" interchange frequently in Scottish and Irish surnames, and both mean "son of". Sometimes, the prefix might be dropped altogether, leading to variants like Corquodale or Corkindale. Also, due to the complex nature of Gaelic spelling, the middle and ending of the name may be altered significantly in different records.
Furthermore, names could be Anglicized differently: the surname MacCorquodil comes from the Gaelic MacTorcaill, which means "son of Torcall". Torcall itself is a Gaelic rendition of the Norse name Thorkell, so it's possible some families rendering the name into English may have opted for Thorkelson or similar. This is speculative though, as these versions aren't well-attested.
It's also worth noting that spelling standards were not well-established until quite recently in human history, so within records, you might find several variants of the name even within the same document.
Famous people with the name MacCorquodil
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