Surname MacKeady - Meaning and Origin
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MacKeady: What does the surname MacKeady mean?
The last name MacKeady is of Irish origin and has a number of possible translations or origins. The most common interpretation is that it is derived from the Gaelic phrase “mac Eideidh,” which roughly translates to “son of Eideidh.” This suggests that the original bearer of the name was the son of a man named Eideidh. It is also possible that MacKeady is derived from an older Gaelic form of the personal name Mackadee, which may have been derived from the words "mac" meaning "son" and "Caoide", meaning revered or beloved.
The name MacKeady has been found in County Tyrone, County Antrim, and County Donegal, as well as in the Scottish Highlands. During the time of the Plantations of Ireland, this name also spread to Counties Wexford, Donegal, and Cavan. The name was later anglicized to MacKeady, and many families of the name can be found throughout Ireland today.
The name MacKeady is associated with many branches of the family tree, but they are all connected and sprung from an original strong, fiercely loyal Irish clan. The original members were descended from once-noble families from the region and loyal to the Irish identity. Many members of the MacKeady family have gone on to achieve great success in life and have made vast contributions to society.
Order DNA origin analysisMacKeady: Where does the name MacKeady come from?
The MacKeady surname is quite common in Northern Ireland and Scotland today, with numerous locales that bear its name across the region. One of the earliest families of the name can be traced back to County Tyrone in the late 15th century. By the early 16th century, it had spread to Scotland and Ireland, where it has remained in various forms and spellings ever since.
In addition to its presence in the British Isles, the surname is also found in Europe, North America, Australia, and other countries around the world. Historically, the MacKeadys have had strong ties to farming and land ownership, with numerous family members working as farmers and landowning landowners. They were also noted for their loyalty to the British Crown and were often involved in local governments.
Today, the MacKeady name is still a common one among descendants of the original family who still live in the British Isles. Many descendents have immigrated to other countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia, finding new homes and carrying on the family name. As a result, the MacKeady name has spread far and wide, and can be commonly found in much of the English-speaking world.
Variations of the surname MacKeady
The surname MacKeady is a variant of the Irish surname Mac Ceadaigh. This surname originates from the old Gaelic name Mac Ceadaigh, which translates to “son of Ceadach”. The Gaelic root word “ceadach” means “warlike”. Throughout its history, the surname has taken on various variants, spellings, and surnames of similar origin. Some of these include:
• MacKeady
• McKeady
• McKedy
• MacCeady
• MacCady
• MacKeadey
• Cary
• Carey
• O’Carey
• Keary
• Karrey
• Keady
• Ceady
The surname has also taken on alternate spellings within the Scotland and England area, such as M'Kiddy, MacKedi and McKeety. In addition, the surname has been anglicized to Carey and Keary in Ireland, as well as to Cary, Carew and Care in England.
In the United States, the surname has taken on even further alternate spellings such as Sadick, MacGeder, MacReady, MacGeady and MacAdey. It has also been Anglicized to Gardner, Sargent, and Sergeant.
Regardless of the various spellings, the surname MacKeady originates from the old Gaelic roots of Mac Ceadaigh (“son of Ceadach”). It is a proud Irish surname and has many variants and spellings throughout various geographical regions.
Famous people with the name MacKeady
- Mackenzie MacKeady: Academy Award-nominated actress and author
- Charlotte MacKeady: British musical theatre writer and actress
- Katherine MacKeady: American voice actress
- Louise MacKeady: Irish stage and screen actor
- Ross MacKeady: Irish actor and author
- Ewan MacKeady: Scottish actor
- John MacKeady: Irish soccer player
- Laura MacKeady: Irish musician
- Sandra MacKeady: Australian journalist
- Rich MacKeady: American singer-songwriter