Surname MacDaniell - Meaning and Origin
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MacDaniell: What does the surname MacDaniell mean?
The last name MacDaniell is of Scottish origin, and is thought to mean “son of Daniel”. Daniel was a popular Biblical name in the Middle Ages, and is derived from the Hebrew Daniyyel, which means "God is my judge". This indicates that the first person to bear the MacDaniell name would have been the son of someone named Daniel.
Historical records show that the MacDaniells were descendants of a sept of the Clan Murray. The Murrays were one of the largest and most powerful clans during the Middle Ages, and had large numbers of clansfolk and kinsmen throughout the Scottish Highlands. The MacDaniells were likely to have lived in the same area as other members of the Clan Murray.
The MacDaniells are thought to have supported the Royalist cause during the Civil Wars, and to have fought alongside the broader clan in numerous battles throughout the period. In addition, many MacDaniells were involved in the Jacobite uprisings of the early 18th century, again supporting the deposed royalist cause.
Today, there are still some MacDaniells living in Scotland, although the clan is almost exclusively found in the United States, Canada and Australia. Many of those living abroad still hold true to the values held by their forefathers, and today the name serves as a reminder to the long and proud Scottish heritage of the MacDaniell family.
Order DNA origin analysisMacDaniell: Where does the name MacDaniell come from?
The MacDaniell surname is most commonly found within Scotland, particularly in the Highlands region. MacDaniell is derived from the Gaelic Mac Giolla Dhomhnaill, which is composed of the elements Mac (son of) and the personal name Giolla Dhomhnaill - ‘servant of Daniel’.
In the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, many members of the MacDaniell clan emigrated to Nova Scotia, Canada and the United States. Today, many people with the surname MacDaniell can be found in Canada, the USA and Scotland. In Canada, the name is most popular in the Maritime Provinces such as Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. There are also a small number of MacDaniells found in Ontario, Quebec and the Canadian Territories.
In the United States, some of the states with the most common MacDaniell surname concentration are North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma and Wyoming. It’s also fairly common in Washington, DC, as well as states in the northeast such as Vermont, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. The MacDaniell surname is not as prominent in southern states such as Florida and Alabama.
In Scotland, the MacDaniell surname is most common in the highland region, particularly Aberdeenshire, Moray, Caithness and Sutherland. The surname is also found in the Shetland and Orkney Islands. While the surname is not as common in the Lowlands, there are some pockets of concentration in East Lothian, Midlothian and Renfrewshire.
Variations of the surname MacDaniell
The MacDaniell surname is an Irish-Gaelic surname of Kilgore origins that reflects the pride of the Clan Donald heritage. It is also known in Scotland, Ireland, and Northern England. Variations of the surname include MacDonald, McDonald, Donnel, Dannel, MacDonnell, O'Donnell, Donnell, Danielson, MacDonell, and MacDaniel.
The oldest spelling of the surname is MacDomhnaill, which dates back to the 14th century in Ireland. The main variations of the surname are Mc, Mac, or O'Donnel, all of which mean “son of Donnell”. In Scotland, the surname is found in a variety of spellings including MacDonel, McDonald, and McDonnell.
In Ireland, MacDaniell is often found as either MacDonell or MacDonnell. MacDonell is a variation of the original family name and originated from the Scottish form of the name. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic Domhnall, which means "World Ruler”.
MacDonnell is also an Irish-Gaelic variation of the name and also dates back to the 14th century. It is derived from the Irish Donal and is pronounced as “mick-DON-el”. The O'Donnell variant is also common in Ireland and is derived from the Irish O'Domhnall. It is pronounced as “oh-DON-el”.
Outside of Ireland and Scotland, MacDaniell is often alternatively spelt as Danielson or Donnell. The Danielson variant is often found in the United States, as this spelling is derived from the Danish surname Danielson. The Donnell spelling is also common in the United States and United Kingdom, and this spelling is derived from the Irish-Gaelic surname O’Donnell.
In conclusion, the MacDaniell surname has many variations in spelling and surnames of the same origin. Variations of the surname include MacDonnell, McDonald, Donnel, Dannel, MacDonell, O'Donnell, Donnell, Danielson, and MacDaniel. These variations are all derived from the Irish-Gaelic surname of Kilgore origins, and many of them can be found across the world in different cultures.
Famous people with the name MacDaniell
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