Surname MacKeoghane - Meaning and Origin

MacKeoghane: What does the surname MacKeoghane mean?

The MacKeoghane surname is an ancient Irish name of nobility. Traditionally the name is associated with Uí Fheara, an ancient Irish tribe that were descended from Fiacha, the son of Dibhearca, who was one of the early rulers of Leinster. The name MacKeoghane is an anglicized form of the original Gaelic name Mac Eochagáin, which translates as “son of eachagán”. Eachagán was likely a personal name based on the Irish word “each”, meaning “horse” and may have been given to chiefs in honour of their bravery, loyalty or skill.

Today, the MacKeoghane family name is associated with Co. Cork in south-west Ireland, though historically the name was found across the country but mainly in counties Limerick and Tipperary. Descendants of the family can still be found in parts of Ireland, though many have since dispersed across the world.

The MacKeoghane name has survived generations, inspiring a sense of pride in the family name. It is a reminder of a long and arduous history but also a symbol of perseverance, loyalty and strength.

MacKeoghane: Where does the name MacKeoghane come from?

The surname MacKeoghane is most commonly found in Ireland today. It is an anglicized version of the original Irish Gaelic name Mac Eochagain, which means “son of the horseman”. The surname is also commonly spelled variations of MacKeogh or Makoghan.

This surname can be found in most counties in Ireland, with the largest concentration occurring in Ulster, specifically counties Donegal and Monaghan. It can also be found in counties Cavan, Fermanagh, Mayo, and Tyrone. There are also smaller pockets of the surname located in the counties of Carlow, Cork, Kerry, Kildare, Laois, Limerick, Waterford, and Wexford.

In addition, the surname can also be found in various other countries around the world, particularly in countries of Irish ancestry such as the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

The MacKeoghane surname is strongly associated with Irish culture and history. It is thought to descend from two particular Irish clans, the Magennis of Ulster and the O’Connor Kerry of County Kerry. Furthermore, the surname is mentioned in the ancient Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland, written in the fourth century.

Overall, the MacKeoghane name is most commonly found in Ireland today, though its presence can be felt in other countries around the world. It is a name that is strongly connected to Irish culture and history, and its meaning of “son of the horseman” honors the reputation of the Irish people as warriors and defenders of their clans.

Variations of the surname MacKeoghane

The surname MacKeoghane is an Irish variant of the surnames MacKeogh, MacKeoghan, MacKeague, and MacKeahon. All of these surnames have ultimately derived from the old Irish name Mac Echaidh, which was composed of the prefix ‘Mac’ which means ‘son of’ and the personal name Echaidh, meaning ‘horseman’.

The most common spelling of the surname MacKeoghane is M’Keoghane, which is the modern Irish spelling of this name. Other variants of the surname MacKeoghane include McKeehan, McKeghan, and McKeigan, which are all anglicized versions of the name.

In the mid-1900s, another variant of the surname MacKeoghane was MacKeoghan, which arose due to the influence of the Ancient Irish pronunciation of the name Echaidh. Variants of MacKeoghan include McKeoghon, McKeoghan and McKeon.

The Irish spelling of MacKeoghane is also commonly found as MacEocháin, with variations including McEochain, McCouchain, McCoshain, McCoughane, McKeochane, McKaughan and McKochane.

The surname MacKeoghane is also commonly found as MacKeone, with variants such as McKeone, McKeon, McKeown, McKeone and McKowen. These forms all stem back to the ancient Irish personal name Echaidh, meaning ‘horseman’.

Finally, the surname MacKeoghane is also found as MacKeivan, with variants including McKeivean, McKeiven, McKeivin, McKevin and McKevan. All of these variations of the surname stem from the Irish surname Mac Echaidh, meaning ‘son of the horseman’.

Famous people with the name MacKeoghane

• Arthur MacKeoghane, Irish-born American vaudeville performer and London stage actor
• Noel MacKeoghane, Irish-Australian journalist, author, and publisher
• William MacKeoghane, English born professor of civil engineering and Member of Parliament
• Dr. William MacKeoghane, an eminent veterinary surgeon of Liverpool
• Patrick MacKeoghane, Irish-American aviator
• Marty MacKeoghane, Australian footballer
• Phyllis MacKeoghane, an Irish actress in the silent movie era
• Maggie MacKeoghane, English singer and songwriter
• Eugene MacKeoghane, Irish actor and playwright who wrote several plays for the Abbey Theatre, Dublin
• Paul MacKeoghane, English actor and author

Other surnames

MacKeogh