Surname McGunnegle - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
McGunnegle: What does the surname McGunnegle mean?
The surname McGunnegle is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic MacGonigal. The prefix "Mac" translates as "son of", while "Gonigal" is speculated to come from the Gaelic words "goinneag" or "gunna", which mean "window" or "battle". Some interpretations suggest it refers to "son of the servant of St. Finnian," with elements like "gon" - coming from the word "gean", translating to "love or birth". Its roots can be traced back to the ancient Dalriadan tribes from the west coast of Scotland. The best-known branch of this family settled in the Hebrides. The popularity and spread of the McGunnegle surname across regions might have been influenced by geographical, socio-economic, political changes, or migration patterns. Due to the numerous variations in spelling due to dialect and translation, some other forms of the name include MacCongail, MacGonagle, MacGonigal, and more. Like many surnames tracing back centuries, the exact meaning and origin can be challenging to pinpoint with certainty, but they always carry a rich historical significance. Moreover, it is quite rare now but still proudly held by bearers in parts of the world.
Order DNA origin analysisMcGunnegle: Where does the name McGunnegle come from?
The surname McGunnegle originates from Scotland. The name is a variant form of the original Gaelic name Mac Gonigal, with the prefix 'Mac' signifying 'son of', and 'Gonigal' being a personal name. The word Gonigal is derived from the elements 'cuinneag', meaning 'milk pail', and 'gall', meaning 'stranger'. Thus the surname roughly translates to 'son of the stranger with the milk pail'. Like many Scottish surnames, McGunnegle likely started being used to denote families from certain occupations or geographic locations.
The distribution of the McGunnegle surname is sparse, with very few bearers globally. The majority of people bearing this surname are found in the United States. However, it is still quite rare even there. As many Scottish families emigrated to the U.S. during the 17th and 18th centuries, it is not uncommon to find Scottish surnames among the American population. Other countries where this surname might be occasionally found include Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and England, but these occurrences are even less frequent than in the United States.
Variations of the surname McGunnegle
The surname McGunnegle is of Scottish origin and may be derived from the Gaelic Mac Gonagle, meaning "son of Gonagle". It is quite rare and unique, so there aren't many known variants or alternative spellings for this particular surname. That said, considering its Gaelic origin and the transformation that many Gaelic names experienced when they were Anglicized, conceptual variants of McGunnegle could include McGonagle, MacGonagle, MacGunnegle, McGonigle, and their variation with an extra 'n' like, McGonnigle, MacGonnigle.
Some other surnames that could be potentially related due to cultural and geographic proximity might be names like McGregor, McLaughlin, or Macintyre. However, these names are not direct variants of McGunnegle, but rather reflect the breadth of Scottish surnames that follow the Mac or Mc ("son of") pattern.
In conclusion, because it is a rare name, its variants, alternative spellings and related surnames are less established and more speculative in nature, as compared to more common surnames.
Famous people with the name McGunnegle
- Ali McGinley- Irish television presenter and sports reporter.
- Brad McGunnegle- professional longboard skateboarder.
- David McGunnegle- Hollywood makeup artist and hairstylist.
- Jack McGunnegle- Sports agent and businessman.
- John McGunnegle- Professional golfer.
- Lorraine McGunnegle- former Hollywood actress.
- Mike McGunnegle- American author and former Navy SEAL.
- Robert McGunnegle- American reality TV star and entrepreneur.
- Rosanna McGunnegle- Reality TV star and professional golfer.
- William McGunnegle- Professional soccer player.