Surname MacDermid - Meaning and Origin
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MacDermid: What does the surname MacDermid mean?
MacDermid is a Scottish surname that originally derived from the Gaelic name MacDhiarmaid, which means "son of Diarmaid". Diarmaid is constituted by two parts: "dia", meaning "god", and "airmit", meaning "envy". Therefore, the name is often interpreted as "man of god" or "free man". Like many other Scottish surnames, MacDermid indicates lineage revealing the father's name. Additionally, its bearers may have historical ties to Scotland's Argyll region. It is important to remember the significance and interpretation of names can vary and depend on cultural, regional, and family contexts. The proliferation of such surnames happened mainly due to the habit of distinguishing individuals by referring to their immediate patriarch, hence being widely spread among cultures with a patrilineal tradition. This surname may have different spellings like MacDermott, McDermott, or MacDiarmid.
Order DNA origin analysisMacDermid: Where does the name MacDermid come from?
The surname MacDermid originates from Scotland. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Mac Diarmaid, meaning "son of Diarmaid". In Irish legend, Diarmaid was a hero who was famed for his beauty and skills in battle. The name has many spelling variations such as MacDermott, McDermid, and MacDermot.
Traditionally associated with the Scottish Highlands, the MacDermids were primarily found in Perthshire. The clan has a long history dating back to ancient times and was renowned for its bravery in battle. They were initially recognized as a sept under Clan Campbell, later gaining recognition as their own clan.
In the present day, the name MacDermid is most commonly found in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Modern migration trends have led to a global dispersion of the MacDermid name. Nevertheless, its strongest association remains with Scotland, where several families and businesses bear the name and continue to uphold traditions linked to their ancient heritage. Some MacDermids can also be found in Ireland, primarily descendants of Scottish settlers during the plantation era. Therefore, while MacDermid is a relatively uncommon name globally, it is most concentrated in Anglophone and Celtic nations.
Variations of the surname MacDermid
The surname MacDermid has potential variants that are derived from the Gaelic "MacDhiarmaid," meaning son of Diarmaid or Dermot. Some of these variants include MacDermott, MacDermid, MacDiarmid, and MacDarmid.
The name can sometimes also be anglicized as McDermid, McDermot, or Dermott, missing the "a" found in the original Gaelic spelling. The prefixes "Mac" and "Mc" are oftentimes interchangeable, with the former more commonly used in Scotland and the latter in Ireland. Therefore, you'll also often see the name spelled as McDermid or McDiarmid.
In some cases, people holding the last name may drop the "Mac" or "Mc" prefix entirely, ending up with variants like Dermid, Dermid, Darmid, or Darmot.
As for surnames of the same origin, O'Dermody, O'Dermot, Dermody, and Dermot are derived from the Irish word “diarmaid”, meaning "free man".
Please note that these names are highly subjected to phonetic shifts, regional dialects, and individual family traditions. As a consequence, the spelling and variants of this surname can vary greatly.
Famous people with the name MacDermid
- Paul MacDermid: A former ice hockey player, who played most notably for the Los Angeles Kings and the Ottawa Senators in the National Hockey League (NHL).
- Connor MacDermid: A flyweight of the World Series of Fighting.
- Laura MacDermid: A former NCAA All-American swimmer at UCLA
- Jordan MacDermid: A Canadian freestyle skier and specialist in moguls
- Tommy MacDermid: A former professional ice hockey player and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee
- Sarah MacDermid: A Canadian Curler, who represented Nova Scotia at the Scott Paper Scotia's women's provincial championship in 1992 and 1993
- MacKenzie MacDermid: A skier, who was the slalom discipline champion at the year-end Canadian Nor-Am at Quebec.
- Bill MacDermid: A Canadian former professional ice hockey player, who played for the New York Americans and Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL.
- Maggie MacDermid: A Canadian curler and winner of the 1994 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship
- David MacDermid: A Canadian speed skater, who competed in three events at the 1968, 1972 and 1976 Winter Olympics, and won a bronze medal in 1976 over 1000 metres.