Surname McConkey - Meaning and Origin

McConkey: What does the surname McConkey mean?

The last name McConkey is an Irish surname, originating from the Gaelic name Mac Conmidhe. The name is derived from the root words ‘Con’ which is a shortened form of the Gaelic ‘Connell’, which means ‘high chief’ or ‘attendant’. The second part of the name ‘midhe’, means ‘kindness’ or ‘goodness’. Together, this surname means ‘high chief of goodness’.

The McConkey surname has been present in Ireland for hundreds of years, and the clan is believed to have originated in County Donegal. This northern county is home to the ancestral seat of the McConkey clan, where families of the same name have lived continuously throughout history.

The McConkeys were respected and well-reputed among the Gaelic clans, with their strong code of honour, loyalty and quality deeds. This meant that the surname was particularly common in Donegal and surrounding counties, for many generations.

Today, the surname McConkey is still a common one among families throughout Donegal and Ireland. Whilst this might have changed slightly from previous generations, due to emigration and other outside influences, the nature of this traditional Irish surname remains the same.

McConkey: Where does the name McConkey come from?

The surname McConkey is most common in Ireland, especially in the North. It is also common in Northern Ireland, the UK, and the USA. In the USA, the name is especially common in Pennsylvania, since many Irish immigrants settled there in the 1700s and 1800s. The name is likely of Scottish origin, and may have been a derogatory term for the Irish.

In England, the McConkey surname is most frequent in the North West of the country, particularly the County of Lancashire. It can also be found in the United States, especially the mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions. The largest clusters of the name can be found in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Ohio.

As of 2018, McConkey is the 1,802nd most popular surname in the United States and the 6,478th most common name in the United Kingdom. It is also the 389th most common name in Ireland.

The McConkey name likely originated in Scotland and was adopted by Irish immigrants who came to the United States during the 19th century. Today, this surname is most common in areas of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland with a strong presence of Irish immigrants.

Variations of the surname McConkey

The surname McConkey is a very popular Irish name deriving from the Gaelic Mac Conchoille, meaning 'son of Conchoille', the medieval name Conchoille meaning “hound of the woods”. There are a number of variants used in Ulster and the Lowlands of Scotland and northern England, including MacConkey, MacConchy, MacConchie, McConekey, MacConkie, McCunkie and MacKinkey.

In some cases, the suffix -ey or -ay may have been added to the name, and in Scottish and Northern English areas, the form may have been softened to MacKinly or MacKneely.

The Gaelic form of the surname is usually rendered as Mac Coinneach, but forms including MacConney and MacKinney also occur. In Ireland, the surname is most common in Ulster, where variants such as MacKinney, MacConnely and McKinsky are recorded.

In Scotland, the forms MacKin and MacKinnie are both recorded, as is the variant MacKinnell. In Northern England, the forms MacKinlay and MacKipley are also found, as is MacKneley.

In the United States, the form MacConkey is also common, particularly in the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Immigrants to Canada often settled in Ontario and Nova Scotia, where the forms MacKinley, MacOnkey, and MacKneely are found.

Famous people with the name McConkey

• Bill McConkey- NFL player and the first professional quarterback in rural Ohio.
• Edwin McConkey: American painter and illustrator, best known for his watercolors of rural Pennsylvania.
• Kevin McConkey: English actor, best known for playing the role of Tom in the popular BBC comedy Outnumbered.
• Bryan McConkey: American professional snowboarder, best known for his X-Games gold medal in slopestyle.
• Richard McConkey: Australian singer-songwriter and multi-award winning musician.
• Jacob McConkey: Irish hurler, former captain of the Antrim senior hurling team.
• Leslie McConkey: American actress, best known for her roles in the films injury and As Good as It Gets.
• Fred McConkey: American writer and journalist, best known for his works on film, television, and radio.
• William McConkey: American educator and the first president of Pennsylvania State College.
• Pete McConkey: American professional golfer in the 1930s and 1940s.

Other surnames

McConkie