Surname McDuffe - Meaning and Origin
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McDuffe: What does the surname McDuffe mean?
The last name McDuffe is a Scottish surname with Scottish Gaelic and Irish origins. It is an Anglicized spelling of the Gaelic name “Mac Dubhshith”, which is found in several variants including MacDuff, McDuff, McDuffie, MacDuffie and Duff. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name Dubhshith, which means “dark peace” or “dark shelter”.
The name was borne by various noble Scottish clans, such as the clan McDuff of Fife, or MacDonald of the Isles, and also by a smaller group of unrelated families who took the name McDuffe as their surname in the 17th century. It is said to have originated in the province of Fife, an area to the northeast of Edinburgh, and has been found throughout Scotland for centuries.
The name is associated with various places within Scotland, such as the town of Dufftown, in Aberdeenshire, which was founded in the 13th century by a royal charters from King Alexander II. Another place associated with the McDuffe name is the Isle of Islay, where the Clan MacDuff was located from the 10th century until the 19th century when they were driven away by the Campbells.
The McDuffe surname is found chiefly in Scotland, Ireland, and the United States today. It carries with it a history rich with wars, migrations and family ties, and is a representation of an ancient Celtic heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisMcDuffe: Where does the name McDuffe come from?
The last name McDuffe is most commonly found in the United States today, with many of its bearers having emigrated from countries across the world, including Ireland, Scotland and England. It is a frequent name among the Irish diaspora in the United States, with the surname showing up in records as far back as the late 1700s. It is probably of Scottish origin, and is a patronymic surname, deriving from the Gaelic first name ‘Mac’, meaning ‘son of’, and then followed by the popular Scottish surname Duff or Duffe.
Today McDuffe is found mainly in America, both in the northern and southern states, and in Canada. There are some small pockets of McDuffe families in New Zealand, Australia and England, however, it is primarily an American and Canadian name. It is mainly concentrated in the states of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California and Virginia, with particularly high concentrations in Pennsylvania's Allegheny and Bensalem counties.
McDuffe families tend to be found alongside other Irish immigrants and their descendants, and can often be traced back to Argyllshire, in Scotland, or to County Donegal, County Fermanagh or County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. There are undoubtedly still some McDuffes scattered throughout Ireland, Scotland and England, although these are likely to be much rarer than they used to be.
It is likely that McDuffe families continue to travel the world, and their population numbers are changing rapidly, with each generation adapting their experience to the different cultural contexts of their new home countries.
Variations of the surname McDuffe
The surname McDuffe is an anglicized spelling of the Gaelic surname MacDhuibh, which is derived from the name Dubh, meaning “black” or “dark”. McDuffe is a patronymic surname, meaning they are derived from the father’s name.
McDuffe is also spelled other ways, such as McDuff, McDuffie, MacDuff, McDuffle, McDuffie, MacDuffle, McDuffey, MacDuffey, McDuffe, and McFee.
The surname MacDhuibh exists in variants as well. These include MacDhubh, MacDhugh, MacDugh, MacDug, and MacDuff. These surnames are also found in variations, such as MacDuffie, MacDuffle, and MacDuffey.
Some variants of the McDuffe surname come from an alternative origin. MacClise-Duff is a variation on the surname of an ancient Irish family, Clan Chliss. Others, such as MacDuffie, are derived from Scottish sources.
A few variants of the McDuffe surname are also found in other languages. Duf and Düf are the German and Dutch equivalents, respectively. MacClise-Duff is found in Irish and Scottish Gaelic as Mhac An Chliohsa.
In England, the surname MacDavid might be a variant of the McDuffe surname. This could suggest a patronymic relationship to the English surname Davidson.
overall, the surname McDuffe has a variety of spelling and surname variations derived from its Gaelic origins, with some having alternate origins as well. It can also be seen in other languages too, as well as being related to the English surname Davidson.
Famous people with the name McDuffe
- Steve Mc Duffe: Hollywood stuntman and actor who has appeared in films like Jumanji, Die Hard II, True Lies, Citizen X, Volcano, and The Matrix Reloaded
- Bevin Mc Duffe: former contestant on The Amazing Race 6
- Sean Mc Duffe: American professional football offensive tackle who played in the NFL
- Brian Mc Duffe: former Canadian Football League wide receiver for the BC Lions
- Eric McDuffe: actor in numerous films, shows and TV commercials
- Sheila McDuffe: award-winning illustrator and author
- Geoff McDuffe: music producer and mixing engineer
- Andrea McDuffe: professional freestyle skateboarder
- Rory McDuffe: Stand-up comedian
- Victoria McDuffe: former competitive figure skater