Surname MacEnery - Meaning and Origin

MacEnery: What does the surname MacEnery mean?

The last name MacEnery is a Gaelic surname derived from the Old Irish Mac Conbhuidhe, which means “son of the hound”. This name likely originated from a war-like clan that were said to have descended from a mythical warrior legend in ancient Celtic mythology.

Originally, the MacEnery surname was found in the Argyll region of Scotland. The MacEnerys were part of the Clan Donald, also known as the Lords of the Isles. As such, they were active participants in the Wars of Scottish Independence. During this time, they were known to be brave warriors and fierce defenders of their clan and people.

The MacEnerys were also renowned throughout Argyll for their skill in constructing and maintaining defensive fortifications. It is possible that the surname comes from the fact that they were highly regarded for their expertise in building strong protective structures.

Today, many people who carry the MacEnery surname live in the United States, Canada, and Australia, though there are still several notable clans living in Argyll and on the Highland Islands. The MacEnery coat of arms is a black stag on a white background with a gold helmet and chain mail.

The MacEnery surname is a reminder of Scotland’s proud heritage as a nation of warriors. To this day, the clan still proudly wears its colors and badge, reflecting its fierce fighting spirit and proud ancestry.

MacEnery: Where does the name MacEnery come from?

The surname MacEnery is believed to originate from County Mayo in Ireland and can be found in Ireland as well as in the UK and North America. Records of individuals with the MacEnery surname date as early as the late 1700s, when the first members of the MacEnery family emigrated from Ireland to Britain.

Given its Irish roots, MacEnery is primarily found in Irish diaspora countries, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. In the United States, the MacEnery surname is considered to be most common in the states of Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania, though it is dispersed across the globe. In fact, countries such as Germany, Sweden, and France all have reported occurrences of the MacEnery surname.

Though MacEnery is an uncommon name, today it continues to be carried on and found in many different countries. It is also not unheard of to find people of Scottish and English descent with the MacEnery surname. In modern day, those with this surname continue to honor their Irish heritage and even join organizations such as Clan MacEnery, which works to unite all MacEnereys around the world.

Variations of the surname MacEnery

The surname MacEnery is an anglicised form of the Irish surname Mac an Airchinnigh, which literally translates to "Son of the Navigator". This surname is ancient, dating back to the 8th century A.D., and was the surname of a powerful and influential dynasty of brehons or lawyers in northeast Ireland.

Variants and variations of the name MacEnery include: MacAnerney, MacAnearney, MacEnearney, MacInerney, MacInnerney, McEnery, McEnearney, Makeneary, Makeanary, Makennery, Makenery, Macaneray, Macanery, Macanuary, Macinorry, McAnary, MacEnerney, MacEnnery.

The Irish Gaelic spelling for the surname is Mac an Airchinnigh.

Common surnames from the same origin include: Keanery, Kenery, Kineary, Kinnery, Kenary, Kaneery, Kennery, MacNeary, MacNerney, Macnerry, Macahery, MacCnerney, Majhenry, McKenney, MacDonnery, MacCombony, MacConnery, MacGonnery, MacKannry, MacKaynery, MacKherry, MacKinaery, MacQuinny, MacWonnery, McAnaire, McConnery, McDonnery, McKerney, and McQuinny.

In some cases, the surname has been Anglicised to 'Henery' and 'Kennery'.

The MacEnery surname has been found as far afield as Australia, the United States, Canada, and many parts of Europe.

Famous people with the name MacEnery

• Kit Harington (Actor): Best known for his portrayal of Jon Snow in the HBO series Game of Thrones.
• Patrick MacEnery (Actor and Director): Patrick has appeared in numerous films and television shows, such as Murder, She Wrote, NYPD Blue, X-Files, and Big Love. In addition, he has directed episodes of shows like House and Oz.
• Leslie MacEnery (Model and Entrepreneur): Leslie is a model and the founder/CEO of the American fashion company, The Perfect Closet.
• Chris MacEnery (Producer): Chris is a Grammy-nominated songwriter, record producer, and mixing engineer. He's written and produced songs for Beyoncé, Rihanna, P!nk, and John Legend, among others.
• Gordon MacEnery (Politician): Gordon is a former Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom and served as Member of Parliament for Stirling from 1997 to 2005.
• Shannon MacEnery (Actress): Shannon is an actress, known for her roles in the films The Aviator and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
• Richard MacEnery (Actor): Richard has appeared in a variety of films and television shows, such as The Simpsons, Beverly Hills 90210, and The Young and the Restless.
• Brandon MacEnery (Musician): Brandon is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Nashville, TN. He's released several solo albums and has toured with a variety of popular acts.
• David MacEnery (Filmmaker and Photographer): David is an award-winning filmmaker and photographer whose work has been featured in numerous exhibitions and publications.

Other surnames

MacEneany