Surname McAvoy - Meaning and Origin
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McAvoy: What does the surname McAvoy mean?
The surname McAvoy is of Gaelic origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name "Macghabhain," meaning "son of the smith." This name was typically given to sons of craftsmen or blacksmiths in ancient times, signaling their family trade. McAvoy is a traditional Irish surname, with its bearers primarily found in Counties Monaghan and Armagh in the northern part of Ireland. Despite its origins, the name is now widespread and can be found in many countries throughout the world, particularly places with large Irish diaspora communities like the United States, Canada, and Australia. Variations of the name include MacAvoy, McEvoy, and McGavock among others. The surname can also be understood to denote a person who is skillful or crafty. This is due to its association with the word "smith", which has traditionally been used to refer to a person who is adept in creating things, particularly in terms of metalworking. Overall, the last name McAvoy is a proud emblem of Irish heritage and craftsmanship.
Order DNA origin analysisMcAvoy: Where does the name McAvoy come from?
The last name McAvoy is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "MacGilmhoire," which means "son of the devotee of Mary." Over time, it Anglicized into MacAvee and further shortened to McAvoy. Variations of this surname include MacEvoy, McEvoy, McAboy and more. Primarily, the McAvoy surname is associated with the Irish province of Ulster, particularly in County Armagh. After the massive migration during the Great Famine of the 1840s, many Irish families, including McAvoy, dispersed across the globe. Today, the surname is common in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, the United States, Canada, and Australia. In many of these countries, individuals bearing the McAvoy surname are often of Irish ancestry.
Variations of the surname McAvoy
The surname McAvoy primarily originates from Ireland, specifically from the Gaelic MacGabhann, which translates to "son of the blacksmith." This name has undergone many transformations due to different dialects and spelling variations in different regions and times.
Common spelling variations and related surnames to McAvoy include: McAvey, McEvoys, McAvay, McAvowy, McEvoy, McEvay, McAvioe, McCavoy, MacAvoy, MacEvoy, McGavock, McGaffin, MacGowan, and MacGoffin.
It's pertinent to note that not all variant surnames have the same origin; for example, the variant surname "MacGowan" carries an entirely different meaning which means "son of the blacksmith".
Moreover, some McAvoy families anglicized their name to Smith, due to the meaning of their original Gaelic surname. Often, families also dropped the “Mc” or “Mac” prefix, leading to variants such as Avoy or Evoy.
Migration led to further variations, as the name was transformed to better fit other languages. For example, in Scotland, the name could be translated to Gow or Gowan. Subsequently, the regional and time transformations have played a significant role in the wide array of variants for the surname McAvoy.
Famous people with the name McAvoy
- James McAvoy: actor known for his roles in films such as Atonement, The Last King of Scotland, and X-Men: First Class.
- Richard McAvoy: American professional golfer.
- Jessica McAvoy: Australian Paralympic swimmer who won three medals at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
- Jamie McAvoy: English actor who has appeared in films like The Last King of Scotland and The Great Raid.
- Duncan McAvoy: Irish footballer who represented his country at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
- William McAvoy: Canadian politician who served as a member of the Manitoba legislative assembly for Selkirk from 1932 to 1942.
- Kenneth McAvoy: American architect, known primarily for designing the iconic Madison Square Garden.
- Stephen McAvoy: American computer scientist who has made notable contributions to the field of artificial intelligence.
- Anthony McAvoy: British actor who appeared in films like The Grand Budapest Hotel and men in black global.
- Kevin McAvoy: American professional football player who played in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles.
- Terence McAvoy: British figure skater who competed in the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics.
- Rachael McAvoy: American art historian who is internationally renowned for her research on Renaissance Era sculptures.
- Cormac McAvoy: Irish singer-songwriter who began his career in 2008 and released his debut album in 2014.
- Alexander McAvoy: Canadian musician and composer who played and wrote music for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
- Sean McAvoy: Northern Irish actor known for his roles in films such as My Name is Joe and The Hole.