Surname McAutry - Meaning and Origin

McAutry: What does the surname McAutry mean?

The surname McAutry is an Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic MacAmhlaoibh, which is derived from the ancient clan name "Mac Amhlaoibh" (son of Amhlaoibh). The origin of the name is uncertain but may have originally derived from Amhlaoibh, an Irish personal name which may have meant something like "Marvelous Lord" or "Glorious King".

McAutry is typically found in the areas of Scotland and Ireland where Irish-Gaelic culture was prominent during the Middle Ages. In Scotland, the name is found mainly in the Scottish-English border region that stretches from Strathclyde to the Highlands. It is also believed to have been fairly popular in Southern Ireland, particularly in Munster and Leinster Provinces.

The first McAutry immigrants to North America can be traced to the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The majority of these early immigrants hailed from Ireland, with some from Scotland. During the 19th century, many more emigrants of the McAutry name became pioneers in America, particularly in the American Midwest and the Appalachian Mountains regions.

Today, bearers of the McAutry surname can be found mostly in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The McAutry name is associated with the Irish-Gaelic heritage, and is usually an indicator of Irish or Scots-Irish ancestry. The name signifies those of Irish-Gaelic descent that have a proud Celtic heritage spanning centuries.

McAutry: Where does the name McAutry come from?

The surname McAutry is of Scottish and Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "MacAmhalghaidh" or "MacAmhalghaidh", which means "son of the follower of St. Amhalghaidh". It is an anglicized version of these surnames. The exact origin of the surname is uncertain, but it is most likely to be from the Western Isles or the northwestern Highlands of Scotland, regions strongly influenced by the Gaelic culture.

Today, the spelling of the surname has many variants including McAteer, McAtter, McTire, McTeir, McTear and many more. These variants have all spread across the world due to immigration over the centuries. Currently, many people with the surnames McAutry and its variants can be found in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Great Britain. Exact concentrations are hard to determine as data on specific surnames is not always available, but generally, the United States, particularly in states such as Pennsylvania and Ohio, as well as the United Kingdom, particularly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, have significant numbers of people with the surname McAutry.

Variations of the surname McAutry

The surname McAutry is of Irish origin and it is a variant of the surname McAfee which was derived from the Gaelic name, Mac Dhuibhshithe, meaning "black peace". Due to the phonetic transcriptions and different regional dialects, the name McAutry has evolved and been recorded in several different forms and spellings over the centuries. These variations include: McAffee, McCaffee, McAfee, MacAffey, McCaffrey, McAvery, MacAfee, MacCaffrey, and MacAverey.

Surnames could often change based on regional accents and varying literacy levels, and some may have even changed upon immigration, due to the unfamiliarity with Irish names.

The variants can include combinations where the prefix 'Mc' or 'Mac' is followed by combinations of 'a', 'au', 'aff', 'av', or 'ac' and ended by 'fee', 'fey', 'fry', 'frey', 'verey', or 'very'. For example, McAffrey, McAvrey, McAfry, MacAfrey, MacAverey, and so on.

Please keep in mind that this list may not be exhaustive as surname evolution can lead to many different iterations based on region, language, and personal preference.

Famous people with the name McAutry

• Troy McAutry: American music producer and former member of the duo Riton & Kah-Lo.
• Mitch McAutry: former professional American football player for the San Francisco 49ers.
• Brandon McAutry: former professional American football player for the New England Patriots.
• Scott McAutry: former Australian Professional Footballer recognised for his work as a defensive midfielder.
• Wayne McAutry: former professional American football player for the New York Giants.
• Ed McAutry: former professional American football player for the Minnesota Vikings.
• Tom McAutry: American baseball pitcher and former college coach.
• Mike McAutry: former Major League Baseball pitcher.
• Joe McAutry: American sprint car and midget car racer.
• Brooke McAutry: American figure skater who won the gold medal at the 1995 Squaw Valley Ice Skating Invitational.

Other surnames

McAutrey