Surname McGreevy - Meaning and Origin

McGreevy: What does the surname McGreevy mean?

The surname McGreevy is of Irish origin and stems from the Gaelic "Mag Riabhaigh", which translates to "son of the brindled or grey one." This brindled or grizzled descriptor likely originally referred to a person’s appearance, perhaps their hair, complexion or clothing. It is derived from the prefix 'Mac' or 'Mc' signifying 'son of,' followed by a personal name. Like many Irish surnames, it has been Anglicized over time, with variations including McGreevey, McGreavy, and McGrevy among others. The name is found mostly in the western and northern counties of Ireland. Though it initially may have been a nickname, over time it has evolved to become a family name, passed down through generations.

McGreevy: Where does the name McGreevy come from?

The surname McGreevy has roots in Irish ancestry, derived from the Gaelic name "Mag Riabhaigh," which translates to "son of the grizzled one." This surname suggests a familial connection possibly to a distinguished ancestor known for his grizzled or grey hair.

Typically, the prefix "Mc" or "Mac" signifies "son of," and is common in Irish and Scottish surnames. The particular spelling variations for McGreevy can include McGreevey, McGrevy, Magreevy, and others. This name morphing often occurred due to a multitude of reasons like a translation from Gaelic to English, varying literacy levels, or regional dialects.

Today, the McGreevy name can be found scattered across the globe due to mass emigration, particularly during the Irish Potato Famine in the mid-19th century. However, it remains most common in Ireland, Northern Ireland particularly. There are also significant populations of people with the McGreevy surname in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The vast Irish diaspora has spread Irish surnames far and wide making the exact commonality challenging to trace, but the McGreevy surname remains proudly connected to its Irish roots.

Variations of the surname McGreevy

The surname McGreevy is of Irish origin and can be found in various variants and spellings. It originates from the Gaelic Mag Riabhaigh, which means "son of the brindled/gray lad". Over time, due to migration, local dialects, and phonetic spelling, the name has had several variants.

Other popular variations and spellings include McGreavy, McGrevey, McGrevy, MacGreevy, MacGrievy, MacGreavey, MacGreavy, and McGrivie. Anglicized versions of the name sometimes drop the prefix ‘Mac’ or ‘Mc’ resulting in forms like Greevy or Greavey. Some variations also present in O'Greevy and O'Greavey where the ‘O’ prefix means 'descendant of'.

It's also worth noting that there can be regional influences on the spelling. For instance, in some parts of Ireland, the 'Mc' prefix might be more prevalent, while in others, 'Mac' might be more common.

In some cases, completely different surnames could be anglicized to something similar to McGreevy due to phonetic similarity, adding further complexity to the variants and spellings of this surname. The spelling of surnames often changed over time and can vary significantly in historical records and documents.

Famous people with the name McGreevy

• David McGreevy, American actor
• Sean McGreevy, American actor
• Brendan McGreevy, Irish TV presenter
• John McGreevy, American politician
• Christie McGreevy, American professional athlete
• Thomas McGreevy, Irish Gaelic footballer
• Jack McGreevy, English professional golfer
• Maureen McGreevy, Canadian actress
• Margaret McGreevy, Irish-American author
• Brandon McGreevy, American venture capitalist and investor.

Other surnames

McGreenMcGreene