Surname MacVeagh - Meaning and Origin

MacVeagh: What does the surname MacVeagh mean?

The surname MacVeagh is of Irish origin, specifically from the Gaelic "Mac an Bheatha," which translates to "son of life" or "son of the lively one". This surname was originally a patronymic nickname, signifying the son of a lively or vigorous man. In the old Gaelic orthography, the name is written as "Mac an Bheatha", which was anglicized to MacVeagh, McVeigh, McVeagh, McEvay, McVey and other variations. These names are mainly found in the Irish provinces of Ulster and Leinster. The ancient family seat for the MacVeagh clan was located in County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. As with many Irish surnames, many members of the MacVeagh family emigrated to countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia during the Irish Potato Famine in the mid-19th century, spreading the name worldwide.

MacVeagh: Where does the name MacVeagh come from?

The last name MacVeagh is of Irish origin. It derives from the Gaelic Mac an Bheatha, which translates to "son of life". The name may have originally been used to refer to a midwife or healer. The MacVeagh family was initially found in the Irish province of Ulster, in the county of Monaghan, where they had been established for centuries.

Today, the surname is not extremely common in any particular region. However, it can still be found in Ireland, and through diaspora, it has spread across the world, especially to countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. It's important to note variations of the surname exist depending on regional spellings and pronunciations, some of these include McVeigh, McVey, and McVeag. This can make tracing the exact distribution of the name somewhat difficult.

Variations of the surname MacVeagh

The surname "MacVeagh" is of Irish origin and has various spellings and variants based on regional pronunciations and adaptations over time. The name is derived from the Gaelic Mac an Bheatha or Mac an Mheach (son of life), which was later anglicized as MacVeagh, McVeigh, or McVey.

Variations of the family name include MacVeigh, MacVay, McVay, MacVea, MacVeigh, MacVay, McVeagh, MacVea, and McVea. The addition of 'Mac' or 'Mc' is prevalent in many Irish surnames, indicating "son of" in Gaelic. The variations in the endings likely come from phonetic spellings adopted over time.

Regional differences and anglicization also led to further variants of the name. Such as Makvey, McVe, McVeag, and even Viveash or Iveagh in some areas. Sometimes the name also lost the “Mac” or "Mc" prefix and was simply listed as Veagh or Vea.

These changes highlight how the migration of families, regional dialects and the standardization of English dramatically influenced original Gaelic surnames. Another factor could be illiteracy among early settlers, which resulted in the misrecording of their names by immigration officials.

Famous people with the name MacVeagh

• Isaac Wayne MacVeagh: He was a prominent American lawyer and statesman who served as U.S. Attorney General under President James A. Garfield.
• Charles MacVeagh: An American lawyer, son of Isaac Wayne MacVeagh, who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan and also held high positions in the U.S. Department of State.
• Lincoln MacVeagh: An American diplomat, son of Charles MacVeagh, who served under several U.S. Presidents. He has assignments in several countries including Greece, Iceland, and Portugal.
• Franklin MacVeagh: He was an American businessman and politician who served as the United States Secretary of the Treasury under President William Howard Taft. He was the elder brother of Isaac Wayne MacVeagh.
• Wayne MacVeagh: A grandson of Isaac Wayne MacVeagh, he was a diplomat, philanthropist, and served as the U.S. ambassador to various countries. His full name is Isaac Wayne MacVeagh III, but he goes by his middle name, Wayne.
• Ewen MacVeagh: An English cricketer who played for Cambridge University Cricket Club and Marylebone Cricket Club. He is the third son of Charles MacVeagh.

Other surnames

MacVean