Surname McCafferty - Meaning and Origin

McCafferty: What does the surname McCafferty mean?

The last name McCafferty is of Irish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic Irish surname Mac Echtighearn, which translates to “son of the generous lord”. McCafferty is thought to have first emerged as a sept of the powerful O’Neill family in Northern Ireland during the 12th century.

The Irish McCaffertys are historically associated with the County Donegal, where the original Mac Echtighearns settled. By the 17th century, the McCaffertys had spread across the entire province of Ulster and into parts of Scotland. It is here that the surname likely adopted its current spelling.

Today, McCafferty is an uncommon last name in Ireland but is still found in Donegal. Many members of the McCafferty family have emigrated to North America, Australia, and New Zealand.

The McCaffertys are renowned for their strong work ethic and determination, traits that are said to have been instilled in them by the O’Neills. McCafferty is a beloved last name in Ireland, associated with courage, loyalty, and forthrightness.

McCafferty: Where does the name McCafferty come from?

The last name McCafferty is most commonly found in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. It is of Irish origin, deriving from the Mac Cathmhaoil feudal family of Kings of Uí Thuirtre, a district located in the barony of Lower Ormond in County Tipperary.

Within the United Kingdom, the name can predominantly be found in Ulster Province, where it is particularly associated with County Antrim and County Down. It is estimated that there are around 1,500 McCafferty households in England, primarily located in the counties of Yorkshire, Kent, Lancashire, and Cumbria.

In Australia, the name is first thought to have arrived in the 1860s, and subsequent waves of immigration saw it spread throughout the nation. Today, the name can be found in all states, and is particularly prominent in the major cities of Melbourne, Adelaide, and Brisbane.

Over in Canada, the name can be found in the majority of provinces, with Nova Scotia having the most McCaffertys by population at around 500 households. The name has also spread north across Canada, and can now be found as far afield as the Northwest Territories.

McCaffertys are also present in the United States, with the majority located in the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois, and Ohio.

Overall, the name McCafferty is most widely spread across the English-speaking countries due to history of immigration, but can be found around the world as far as Africa.

Variations of the surname McCafferty

The surname McCafferty has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants include MacCafferty, MacCafferty, McCafferty, MacAfferty, MacAfferty, McFerty, and McGafferty.

The surname MacCafferty is derived from the Irish/Gaelic Mac an Fhearadaigh, meaning “son of the man of Feradaigh”, or “son of the man of the sea”. The surname dates back to the 11th century, and was first found in County Tyrone, Ireland.

The surnames MacAfferty and MacAfferty were derived from Mac Fhirbhisigh (“son of the bard”). The fame of the family originated in the Uí Fhirbhoisiocht branch of the Corcu Loigde, located near the famous Rock of Cashel and also in County Tyrone.

The variant McFerty comes from the Mac an Fhearthaigh, or “son of the man of Ferarty”. The Gaelic variant is the most common of this variant and was also found in Ulster and Scotland.

The variant McGafferty is derived from the Gaelic name Mac a Fhearghasigh which literally translates to “son of the man of lightning”. This variant is still popular today, mostly in Scotland and the US.

The MacCafferty’s, MacAfferty’s, McFerty’s, and McGafferty’s are all surnames of the same origin. This is evident in the similar spellings and by tracing the names back to their original roots in the Corcu Loigde and to County Tyrone in Ireland, and to Scotland.

Famous people with the name McCafferty

• Finbarr McCafferty: Irish footballer for Linfield and Glenavon.
• Stephen McCafferty: Irish footballer who played for Limerick and Galway United.
• James McCafferty: Scottish footballer for St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Hibernian, and Falkirk.
• Brendan McCafferty: former Northern Irish footballer who played for Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Sunderland.
• Brian McCafferty: former Northern Irish footballer who played for Portadown, Glentoran, and West Ham United.
• Jude McCafferty: a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays for Bohemians in the League of Ireland.
• Donny McCafferty: a Northern Irish radio and television presenter.
• Chuck McCafferty: an American television and radio sports announcer.
• Neil McCafferty: former three-time British Champion Jockey. 10.Seán McCafferty: Irish politician who previously served as a Senator. 11.Daniel J. McCafferty: a former U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania. 12.Patrick J. McCafferty: Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate. 13.Christopher McCafferty: British Labour Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Calder Valley. 14.James McCafferty. Jr.: American television and film actor known for his roles on The OC and Jurassic Park III. 15.Ebenezer McCafferty: a former African American slave who became a notable advocate for civil rights for people of color. 16.Jessamyn McCafferty: an American poet and memoirist best known for her book All This Can Be Yours. 17.Hugh McCafferty: an American actor and writer known for his roles in The Good Place and Boy Meets World. 18.Rob McCafferty: Australian actor best known for his role in the soap opera Home and Away. 19.Harlan McCafferty: artist, record producer, and filmmaker who is a two-time Grammy Award nominee. 20.Ráchel McCafferty: Irish pop singer who rose to fame with her debut single, “One Last Time”.

Other surnames

McCaffery