Surname MacReery - Meaning and Origin
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MacReery: What does the surname MacReery mean?
The last name MacReery is of Irish and Scottish origin. Derived from the Scottish and Irish Mac Ruairí, the name evolved from a diminutive form of the Gaelic Mac Raghnaill and denotes the son of Raghnall.
The MacRuairí family was first found in the Irish counties of Meath and Armagh, and may be descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages, a 5th century High King of Ireland.
It is believed that the MacRuairí, moved north from Ireland to the highlands of Scotland in the 10th century. During this period, many Scottish place names were derived from MacRuairí placenames. Later, the MacRuairí were also found in the Western Isles of Scotland, and were closely related to Clan MacLeod.
As the name evolved and changed over time, the MacRuairí gave way to MacReery, a name which can still be found in Ireland and Scotland to this day.
The origin of the MacReery surname reflects the clan's complex history and heritage. It speaks to the MacRuairí migrations from Ireland to Scotland, as well as their close relationships with both cultures. As with so many other families, the last name MacReery is a piece of the puzzle that makes up the country's unique and varied past.
Order DNA origin analysisMacReery: Where does the name MacReery come from?
The last name MacReery seems to be mainly located in the United States today. Specifically, in the past, MacReery was mainly concentrated in northern Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. While it is still present in these states, it appears to have become more widespread over time.
According to My Heritage, the most popular states with high numbers of MacReerys are California (274), Texas (136), New York (43), Illinois (37), and Florida (33). The MacReery name is also present in other parts of the US, such as Wisconsin (13), Alabama (7), Maryland (6), Michigan (5), Georgia (3), and Louisiana (3).
My Heritage also shows that the MacReery name migration to the United States was mainly from Ireland. The website also found similar names in the United Kingdom like MacRae, MacRory, MacRory and MacRea. It is not clear whether this is due to spelling shift or to indicate a link to these other surnames.
The MacReery surname is out there today, spanning multiple states across the US, although, it is not particularly common in any one place.
Variations of the surname MacReery
The surname MacReery has a few variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.
The most common variant spelling of MacReery is McReery. This surname has also been found spelled as Mac Rerry, Mac Rury and MacRory.
Alternative spellings of the surname MacReery have included Mac Rey, MacRhea, MacRea and MacRhy.
Variations of the surname MacReery appear in other countries due to different language and spelling conventions. This includes the German surname Meckrery and the French surname MacRorie.
Surnames that have a similar sound to MacReery have included McCreery, McCrory, McCrary, McCrarey, McCree and MacVerry. Variations of McCrory and McCrary appear particularly often.
The Anglo-Saxon MacReery surname can also be seen as McArery, McAri, McAroy, MacKerray, McKeerey, MacKerery, McKinney and MacKerney.
The Gaelic variants of MacReery have included MacEarchair, MacEarcharan and MacEarchar. These surnames are found particularly with Irish and Scottish immigrants.
It should be noted that over time, and through immigration, the surname MacReery has changed and evolved. There are numerous variations and spellings of it, and other surnames with similar phonetic pronunciations.
Famous people with the name MacReery
- Harry Macreery: British director, producer, and actor, known for playing Alec Stewart in the 1966 British horror film Witchcraft.
- Mark Macreery: NFL defensive coach for the Los Angeles Chargers since 2006.
- Thomas Macreery: British chemical engineer and scientist known for his work in drug detoxification and drug metabolism.
- Jim Macreery: American filmmaker and cinematographer, known for his documentaries on the US Navy's silent service.
- Max Macreery: former professional golfer who competed on the PGA tour from 1934 to 1939.
- Donald Macreery: Canadian sculptor, painter and printmaker, known for his large abstract wood sculptural works.
- Sean Macreery: Irish classical violinist and composer, best known for his work with the National Symphony Orchestra in Ireland.
- Alex Macreery: British fashion designer and creative director, who founded his eponymous label in 2010.
- John Macreery: British composer and conductor, best known for his classical works for brass bands.
- Neil Macreery: British songwriter and record producer, responsible for some of the biggest hits in the UK during the 1980s.