Surname McDearis - Meaning and Origin

McDearis: What does the surname McDearis mean?

The last name McDearis is of Gaelic-Irish origin. It is an anglicization of two Irish surnames—Mac Diarmada and Mac Dearmid, each derived from the same Gaelic root. The surnames originated in Counties Monaghan and Fermanagh and are commonly found in Ulster. In Gaelic, Mac Diarmada and Mac Dearmid combined mean "son of Díarmait".

Díarmait was a personal name of the 12th century, which is composed of two elements—diar, meaning "without envy," and mait, meaning "generous." The name literally translated as "generous without envy." The surname is a testament to the ancestors who possessed these admirable qualities and passed them down from one generation to the next. Other variants of the name are McDermott and McDermid which, accordingly, have the same meaning.

The McDearis surname has seen a few different spellings as it traveled over time and was interpreted in various languages. The bearers of the name through the years have played a wide variety of roles in society, from farmers and blacksmiths to tradespeople and even politicians. This surname is most common in Northern Ireland today, although parts of the United States, Scotland, Canada, and Australia also see a scattering of the surname.

McDearis: Where does the name McDearis come from?

The last name McDearis is of Scottish origin and primarily found in the United States today. Its variants—McDaris, McDeryas, and McDeris—are also common in the United States where descendants of families bearing the McDearis name are located in the Midwest and the Southeast.

McDearis is originally an Anglicized version of the ancient Gaelic surname Mac Dhéiridh. The name is derived from the Gaelic words 'mac' meaning son of; and 'dhéiridh', which means 'proud' or 'regal'. Its variants were often adopted by immigrants to Ireland and Scotland in the late 19th century, which is why the name has spread into America and other countries.

Research reveals that McDearis currently have strong population concentrations in Texas, Georgia, and Alabama. Since the 1990s, the Houston, Texas metropolitan area has become home to a large population of Scots, and many McDearis families from across the USA have relocated there.

McDearis is also occasionally found in the UK, mostly in the southern regions near England's border with Scotland. There is also a small number of families recorded by census in Ireland, though they are likely descendents of emigrants who traveled from Scotland.

In essence, the McDearis name is most common in the United States, particularly in the states of Texas, Ohio, Georgia, Alabama, and New York. Given its Gaelic origin, this surname is still popular in parts of Scotland, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.

Variations of the surname McDearis

The surname McDearis is of Scottish descent and is derived from the Lochay region of Scotland. The surname is a variant of the Scottish surname McDaris or MacDaire. This surname is also spelled MacDearis, MacDhire, McDermid, McDermitt, McDarisman, Dermaid, and McDarlan, among others.

MCDearis and its variants are derived from the Gaelic 'Mac Dhaire', meaning 'son of Daire'. Daire is an Old Irish or Old Gaelic personal name. This name is derived from 'Dair', meaning 'oak', and therefore the surname McDearis historically translates to 'son of the oak'. This would have been a rare name as it is thought that oak trees were considered sacred in pagan times.

The surname McDearis is more commonly found in the Scottish Highlands and the Eastern Isles. In Scotland, it is a particularly common surname in the Argyll region. The surname is also relatively common in Ireland, particularly in counties Cork and Fermanagh.

Today, McDearis and its variants can be spelt in many different ways. Throughout the ages the name has evolved in various ways, depending on which part of the country it has been passed in. As such, the spelling of the surname can differ from region to region, and even from family to family.

Famous people with the name McDearis

• Randy McDearis: lecturer and senior research consultant for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• Candace McDearis: former professional basketball player
• Charles McDearis: former professional baseball player
• Ryan McDearis: American football safety
• Tyler McDearis: singer and songwriter
• JT McDearis: actor
• Dan McDearis: jazz pianist
• Bruce McDearis: American theater actor
• Nathaniel McDearis: historian and scholar
• Amy McDearis: author and educator

Other surnames

McDearmond