Surname MacElhinney - Meaning and Origin

MacElhinney: What does the surname MacElhinney mean?

The last name MacElhinney is derived from the Irish surname Mac Giolla Eoin, which translates to English as "son of John's devotee." It is found mainly in Northern Ireland, with origins in County Donegal. Those who bear the name MacElhinney are believed to be descendants of an 11th century ascetic named St. Eunan, who was the bishop of Raphoe.

The family originally took part in the MacSuibhne clan, but have since settled in other areas of Ireland and the United States. These people would have taken the name MacElhinney to distinguish themselves from other families with the same surname.

MacElhinney is an old Irish family name, and it has come to symbolize strength and stability. The name is widely found in the U.S., as the descendants of the MacElhinney family moved to America during the 19th and 20th centuries in search of better opportunities. Today, many MacElhinney descendants live in the U.S., and many still live in Ireland.

The name MacElhinney is most likely to be of Gaelic origin, but its true origin remains a mystery. Its pronunciation is similar to the English name "McElhenny" and denotes the name of a family or a clan. Whatever the origin, those who bear the name MacElhinney can be proud of their heritage and strong sense of family connection.

MacElhinney: Where does the name MacElhinney come from?

The last name MacElhinney is most common today in Ireland, particularly in Ulster, the northernmost part of the country. It is thought to have originated from the ancient Irish sept the Mac Giolla Fhinnein, meaning “Devotee of St Finian”. It is estimated that there are about 400 people with the surname MacElhinney living in Ireland today.

The surname can also be found in other parts of the world, particularly in places where Irish immigrants settled in the 19th and 20th centuries. Scotland, England, Canada and the United States are all countries where the name is found. In the United States it is most commonly associated with Pennsylvania and New York, likely due to Irish immigrants travelling to these states during the great wave of Irish migration in the mid-1800s.

Within Ireland, the name MacElhinney is most common in County Louth, where records show the name dates back to at least the 1690s. People with the name usually hail from the parishes of Termonfeckin and Cooley located along the northern coast of county. However, the name can also be found in nearby counties like Monaghan, Cavan, and Leitrim.

Despite its origin in Ireland, the name MacElhinney is no longer as common as it once was. Today fewer than 400 people in the entire world bear the name, making it a relatively uncommon surname today.

Variations of the surname MacElhinney

The spelling variants of the surname MacElhinney include McElhinney, McElhinny, McElhinnye, M’Elhinney, and MacHelhinney. Although they are all spelled slightly differently, they all have the same origin.

The surnames of similar origin include McIlhenny,Meloney, McIlhaney, McIllhany, McLhenny, McLhiney, and MacLhenny. In addition, their variants include Mclheny, McIlhenny, McElhenney, McAlheny, and MacParland.

MacElhinney is an Irish surname and is of Anglo-Norman origin. It arose from a Norman family who settled in Ireland in the 12th century. It is derived from either Mac Gille Fhionghuin or Mac Gilla Chomhghaill. The former translates to ‘son of the follower of Finnguine’. Finnguine is an aspirated form of the Irish name Fionnghuala, denoting a bright-headed, blond person. The latter, Mac Gilla Chomhghaill translates to 'son of the servant of St. Comhghall’.

The Irish spelling of the surname is Mac Giolla Chomhghaill, and this name can be found in several variations in other Gaelic-speaking regions, such as Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man, where it is usually Anglicised as MacLinchinney, MacLhoney, McGlone.

The surname is found throughout the British Isles, with the largest numbers in Ireland and Scotland. It is now a global name, with people bearing the MacElhinney surname found in the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Famous people with the name MacElhinney

• Catherine O’Hara: Emmy-Award winning actress and comedienne, best known for her roles in Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and Schitt’s Creek.
• Sean MacElhinney: Canadian actor, author, playwright, and screenwriter for the television series Traders and Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.
• Michael MacElhinney: Professional ice hockey player for the Ottawa Senators in the late 1990s.
• Blake MacElhinney: Actor, writer, and creative director who has appeared in films such as A Walk to Remember, Domino Killer and Wind Whisperer.
• Dr. Andrew MacElhinney: Professor of medicine at Dalhousie University and head of the Division of Gastroenterology.
• Francis MacElhinney: Hockey player who participated in the 1972 Summer Olympics for Canada.
• Scott MacElhinney: Canadian entertainment executive and film producer. He was a major producer for award-winning films, including Hollywoodland, My Life Without Me, and The Girl Next Door.
• Jack MacElhinney: Retired British diplomat. He served as British ambassador to The Former Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 1998.
• Peter MacElhinney: Actor and filmmaker, best known for his work as a horror effects technician in films like From Dusk Till Dawn and The Green Inferno.
• Tom MacElhinney: Hollywood and computer-generated effects supervisor who has worked on films like Gladiator, Spider-Man 2, and Indictment: The McMartin Trial.

Other surnames

MacElhinny