Surname McAskill - Meaning and Origin

McAskill: What does the surname McAskill mean?

The surname McAskill is of Scottish origin and belongs to the category of patronymic surnames. The prefix “Mc” or “Mac” in Scottish and Irish surnames signifies “son of”. Therefore, McAskill would mean "son of Askill". The name Askill itself is thought to have originated from the Old Norse name Ásketill, which is a compound of the elements "ás", which meant god, and "ketill", which meant kettle or sacrificial cauldron, commonly used as metaphors for battle or war. Therefore, Ásketill could be interpreted as "divine kettle" or "god-cauldron", symbolizing god-like fierceness or strength in battle. Thus, by extension we can infer the literal meaning of McAskill as "Son of Askill" or "son of the fierce warrior". Moreover, the name McAskill is historically associated with the Highlands of Scotland with the clan chiefly seated in the Hebrides Island.

McAskill: Where does the name McAskill come from?

The surname McAskill is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic "MacAskil". The prefix "Mac" means son of, and "Askil" is a personal name. It is associated particularly with the Hebrides, an archipelago off the west coast of mainland Scotland. The earliest recorded mention of the McAskill name is on the island of Skye in the 16th century.

The clan was scattered during the Highland Clearances in the 18th and 19th centuries. Many descendants emigrated to countries like Canada, Australia, and the United States, where the surname can still be found today. The largest population of people with the McAskill surname is in the USA, followed by Canada. Within Scotland, Hebrides continues to have a significant number of people with this surname. Thus, the surname McAskill is more common in regions with substantial Scottish diaspora.

Variations of the surname McAskill

The surname McAskill is of Scottish and Irish origin, broadly found in the Hebrides islands and the western Isles of Scotland, especially on the Isle of Skye. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Asketil," meaning "cauldron of the gods.”

Other spellings and variations of the surname McAskill can include McAskell, MacAskill, MacAskill, McCaskill, MacCaskill, MacAskie, McAskie, MacKaskill, McKaskill, McKaskell, and McHaskell. The 'Mc' or 'Mac' prefix generally denotes son of, so all these variations are related to 'son of Asketil'.

These various spellings have been used interchangeably throughout history with some families altering the spelling across generations or even in a single generation.

The surname underwent additional spelling changes in North America due to phonetic and linguistic differences and various literacy levels, resulting in further variations such as McCaskell, Maskill, and Maskell among others.

It's important to note that all these variants are tied to the original surname and represent the same bloodline, even though the spelling might differ. Over time and across generations, it's common for surnames to evolve and adapt to new languages and regions.

Famous people with the name McAskill

• Sean McAskill: is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He made two appearances in the Premier League for Bristol City.
• Kelly MacAskill: is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist known as one half of the Canadian folk duo, MacAskill & Doski.
• Ali McAskill: is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist based in Ottawa.
• Sandy McAskill: is a Scottish songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. He released six albums between 2004 and 2019.
• Duncan McAskill: is a Scottish musician, who fronts the well-known rock/roots band, The Touch.
• Tonia McAskill: is an Australian poet who was highly acclaimed for her 2003 debut collection, "Equations and Embers".
• William McAskill: is an academic philosopher and ethicist, known for his work on effective altruism.
• Shane McAskill: is a Scottish former professional footballer who made forty-five appearances in the Scottish Premier League for Livingston.
• Kim McAskill: is a Canadian country singer-songwriter. She has released three albums and has had several country singles hit the Canadian and American Charts.
• Annika McAskill: is a Canadian playwright and actor. She has had several of her plays and poetry published worldwide.

Other surnames

McAskilMcAskin