Surname MacDaniels - Meaning and Origin

MacDaniels: What does the surname MacDaniels mean?

The surname MacDaniels is derived from the traditional Gaelic patronymic surname MacDaniel, which was created from the personal name Daniel.

The personal name Daniel is thought to have its roots from a Hebrew given name, and is derived from two elements: the first element, 'dān' meaning God is my Judge combined with 'ēl' meaning Mighty. Therefore, the literal meaning of the name Daniel can be interpreted as the 'Mighty God is my Judge’.

Historically, the MacDaniel surname is thought to have originated with various branches of the influential and powerful Dalriadan family; a family descended from King Fergus of Scotland in the late 5th century AD. These branches of the Dalriadan family claimed descent from the powerful Irish ancestors, the son of Eochaid, who was related to the King of Ulaid.

The MacDaniels were among the first families to migrate to the New World, resulting in the MacDaniel’s surname becoming dispersed around the world. Today, the surname MacDaniels is primarily found in the United States and Canada, with secondary distributions in Scotland, England, Ireland, and Australia.

Today, the MacDaniel’s surname is associated with being both prestigious and enigmatic, with those who share the surname often associated with a unique sense of honor and strength.

MacDaniels: Where does the name MacDaniels come from?

The last name MacDaniels is commonly found in the United States and Canada, with significant populations in the two countries. In the United States, the most prominent state with MacDaniels is Texas, followed by Mississippi, North Carolina, and Virginia. In Canada, the provinces with the most prominent MacDaniels populations are Ontario and Alberta.

In terms of foreign countries, MacDaniels is also fairly common in the United Kingdom and Australia. In the United Kingdom, the surnames are most commonly found in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

In the United States, MacDaniels is most commonly used as a patronymic last name, with some variants of the name being spelled with a capital letter “D” (Macdaniels) or with an “els” instead of “aniel” (MacDaniel). In Canada, the MacDaniel spelling is often used, and vice versa in the United States.

As a surname, MacDaniels is believed to have originated in Scotland and more specifically in the Scottish Highlands region. As is typical of many Scottish surnames, the name has a connection to a piece of land or a location. In this case, the name may derive from an old Scottish word for “valley of Daniell”, which is a now-extinct stream located in the northeast of Scotland.

The origins and variants of this surname have since spread far from its roots, and the last name MacDaniels can now be found around the world.

Variations of the surname MacDaniels

The variant spellings and surnames of MacDaniels usually stem from multiple variants of the Irish Gaelic surname Mac Danielaigh, though variations can be seen within different parts of Scotland and even Wales.

The most common variants of the surname MacDaniels are MacDaniel, MacDaniels, McDaniels, MacDaniells, and McDanielson. The spelling and use of hyphenation of the twinned names will often vary by country and culture. For example, in Ireland the surname is usually spelled MacDaniel, whereas in the United States, the name is often written MacDaniels.

In Scotland, the variants are MacDaniel, MacDall, MacDaughlin, McDault, MacDonnell, and McDonald. In Wales, it is often spelled Macdanoel and MacDaniel.

In addition to these traditional variants, many non-Irish or Scottish variations exist. Common surnames related to the MacDaniels surname include Daniels and Donaldson. These variations may have originated from occupational roots such as a “danieler” or a “donald” for instance.

To trace your own family history, searching records of historical birth, marriage, death and census records, as well as other relevant resources, may provide successful results. Also researching online family trees and databases can help build the family history of the MacDaniels surname.

Famous people with the name MacDaniels

• Doug MacDaniels, American politician
• Chris MacDaniels, American screenwriter
• Roberta MacDaniels, American journalist
• Melissa MacDaniels, American artist
• Roland MacDaniels, British actor
• Trina MacDaniels, American TV host
• Carla MacDaniels, Canadian entrepreneur
• Trena MacDaniels, American political strategist
• JT MacDaniels, Canadian musician
• Lukas MacDaniels, British actor
• Rickey MacDaniels, Australian professional golfer
• Hannah MacDaniels, American fashion designer
• Art MacDaniels, American sportscaster
• Ricky MacDaniels, American singer-songwriter
• Carol MacDaniels, Canadian Olympic freestyle skier
• Montana MacDaniels, American actress
• D'Andre MacDaniels, American television producer
• Emma MacDaniels, British author
• Elliott MacDaniels, American tennis player
• Tyler MacDaniels, Canadian hockey player

Other surnames

MacDanielMacDaniell