Surname MacKerribly - Meaning and Origin
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MacKerribly: What does the surname MacKerribly mean?
The last name MacKerribly is an Anglicized version of the Gaelic name MacErceil, which derives from the personal name Mac Erceil or MacErceil. The personal name MacErceil is a diminutive of Mac Óirceall, which is derived from the Old Norse, órr, which means “spear,” and kjall, which means “fierce.”
The name MacKerribly is derived from a family of Norman knights that settled in Scotland in the 12th century. The Norman knights adopted the name MacErceil upon arriving in Scotland. The name was first recorded in 1178 in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk where it appears as MacErceil. In 1298, the name appears as Mackkerely in the Ragman Rolls of Scotland.
The surname MacKerribly was first found in Scotland in the Highlands, in Ross-shire. The MacKerribly family is best known for its involvement in the Scottish Clan Leslie. In 1297, the head of the family, Sir William de Leslie, was appointed the Constable of Dundonald Castle, and also took part in the wars with the English in the reign of Alexander III.
The MacKerrily family's fortunes flourished in the following centuries, and by tradition they made their home in Glens of Isla, Scotland. The surname remains in Scotland today, but many members of the family are now spread throughout the British Isles, and are also found in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
The MacKerrily family has a proud and distinguished history and is quite a unique and storied British surname.
Order DNA origin analysisMacKerribly: Where does the name MacKerribly come from?
The last name MacKerribly is most commonly found in England and Scotland today. In England, the majority of people with the MacKerribly surname are located in North West England, particularly in Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and Cheshire.
In Scotland, the MacKerribly surname is more widely spread out and is found in several regions, including Fife, Ayrshire, Aberdeenshire, and Edinburgh.
The name MacKerribly may have originally been of Gaelic origin from the old surnames Mac Giolla Teri, which derived from the son of a follower of Saint Terry, a medieval Scottish saint. It is likely that the MacKerribly name spread throughout Scotland and, eventually, into England over time and was adopted by many individuals, leading to its prevalence today.
Though not as popular as it once was, the last name MacKerribly is still alive and well and is carried by many individuals in England and Scotland. It is a reminder of the ancient histories of the regions and the families that carried the name through the years.
Variations of the surname MacKerribly
MacKerribly is a Scottish surname of The MacTerrible clan of Scotland. The MacTerrible Clan were the rulers of Argyll and the Hebrides in the late middle ages, and were descended from the High Kings of Ireland.
Variants of the MacKerribly surname include MacTerrible, McCurrly, McCorly, MacTearrly, MacTirely, MacTiriely, MacKiarly, McKerriely, McGurley, Magurley, MacGurley, McKerly, McCerley, MacKerlie, and McKerlie.
The MacTerrible name is believed to originate from the Gaelic ‘mac tighearnaigh’, meaning ‘son of the lord’. Other spelling variants descended from this term are MacTiernan, McTiernan, MacTernan, and McTernan.
The MacKerribly surname can also be found in Ireland, although spellings such as MacKerly, McCurrly, and MacTearrly are more common.
MacKerribly is approximately 1470th most common surname nationally, and is estimated to have over 1700-3000 entries in Ireland, and about 2400 in Scotland. There are an estimated 1000-3000 entries for the whole of the United Kingdom.
Famous people with the name MacKerribly
- Morgan MacKerribly: Canadian professional hockey player.
- William MacKerribly: British actor, best known for his role in the movie “A Man for All Seasons.”
- Tobias MacKerribly: American musician, famous for his album “The Gift of Life.”
- Jessica MacKerribly: Australian coach and former Olympic swimmer.
- Jackson MacKerribly: American author and motivational speaker.
- Cooper MacKerribly: Belizean professional tennis player.
- Ava MacKerribly: Danish fashion designer and style icon.
- Norman MacKerribly: Canadian Olympic skier and gold medalist.
- Andrew MacKerribly: British actor and voice actor.
- Lewis MacKerribly: American actor and filmmaker.