Surname McGerrity - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
McGerrity: What does the surname McGerrity mean?
The last name McGerrity is of Irish origin. It is an Anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "Mag Oireachtaigh." The original Gaelic form is believed to be derived from "oireachtach" which could potentially mean "member of the assembly". However, the precise meaning of the name in Gaelic is uncertain. The "Mc" or "Mac" in Irish surnames typically denotes "son of," hence McGerrity would mean "son of Oireachtaigh". Like many Irish surnames, McGerrity can have various spellings, including Gerrity, Gerty, and McGerty. It is most commonly associated with the province of Connacht, specifically County Sligo. Therefore, people with the McGerrity surname likely have ancestral ties to this geographical region.
Order DNA origin analysisMcGerrity: Where does the name McGerrity come from?
The last name McGerrity is of Irish origin and was first found in county Sligo in Northwestern Ireland. It is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Oireachtaigh" which denotes a "son of the member of assembly". This surname is an example of the hundreds of Irish family names that have been derived from the names of the noble ancestors who belonged to the Irish ruling classes before and after the Norman invasion of 1172.
In the present day, like many Irish surnames, McGerrity has spread worldwide due to Irish emigration through the centuries. It is most common in countries where the Irish diaspora settled in large numbers. These include the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. However, it still remains common in its country of origin, Ireland. Hence, a majority of people named McGerrity are expected to be found in these countries. Despite the dispersion, the surname is not extremely common, thereby holding onto its uniqueness.
Variations of the surname McGerrity
The surname McGerrity is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic surname "Mag Oireachtaigh." It has several common variant spellings due to the variations in pronunciation and due to Anglicization. These may include McGarrity, MacGerrity, McGerity, M'Garrity, McGarity, McGarraty, and MacGarrity.
The prefix denoting "son of," whether it's "Mc," "Mac," or "M'," can often fluctuate in spellings. Moreover, the spelling may also often change to "Mag" in some variants. Since surnames were often written down as they were phonetically heard, the slight changes in pronunciation could result in different spellings.
The surname Oireachtaigh, from which McGerrity is derived, also offers another root for similar surnames. These can be O'Garrity, O'Rearty, Garrity and Geraghty. It's also important to note that in some cases, the prefix could have been dropped entirely, resulting in standalone surnames like Gerrity or Garity.
Whilst searching for this surname in historical documents, it's suggested to consider all the possible phonetic variations due to the inconsistency in spelling during various time periods and locations. Please note, however, that variations may also be created due to transcription errors by original record keepers.
Famous people with the name McGerrity
- Actor Kevin McGerrity
- Physicist and Astronomer Padraic Mcgerrity
- Football player Chris McGerrity
- Writer and Archivist Rita McGerrity
- Former Football Player Tom McGerrity
- Philosopher Martha McGerrity
- Politician Ann McGerrity
- Lawyer Sean McGerrity
- Soccer Player David McGerrity
- Author Gerald McGerrity