Scottish Gaelic surname changes

[Shona]

At some point when researching your family tree, you will come across a variation in the spelling of a surname. Understanding that spelling can be fluid will make research easier. However, in parts of Scotland, in addition to variant spellings, you may come across name changes. In the 18th century, many Gaelic speakers in Scotland changed their surnames. Sometimes this was deliberate following the banning of tartan in the mid 18th century. In other cases, clerks and ministers (who may have had a poor command of Gaelic) recorded an ‘anglicised’ version of a Gaelic surname.

I remember searching a document for Edward Milloy and found him. However, I disregarded later entries for Iver McIllmaluaig, which I later learnt was the Gaelic version of Edward Milloy.

Listed below are some of the more dramatic name changes that I’ve come across when researching my family in the south-west of Argyllshire.

Please add any name changes that you have encountered.


Arnot McIlvrennenich, Brennan

Black Dubh
Blue McIlligurmine, McGurman, McIlgorne
Bridey McBride
Bradley Brolachan, O’Brolachan
Bowie Buidhe, Buie, Buoy, McIlbuy, Buidheach
Boyd Boideach
Brown McBrion

Calder McCaldrin
Carmichael McA’Lecechel, McIlmichael, McMichael
Christie Gillechriosd
Clark McInclerich, McA’Chlery, McCleirach
Cochrane McEachrane
Conley McIllconneltiche, McIlchonnelie, Connally
Cook McCook, McCuaig, McCoag, McCaig
Currie/Curry McVurich, McWhirrie, McCurry, McQuore, McGorry

Dewar Deoireach, Doirea
Docherty O’Dougherty
Downie McGildownie, McIldownie
Duffy McDubhsith

Ferguson McFergish, McKerras
Fraser Friseal

Galbraith McBretny, McBretnich, McIllvretnich, McVretnich, McVretny
Gibb McIllbhide
Gillies McIleish, McLeise
Gilchrist McIlchrist, McIllgriest
Gillespie GilleEasbaig
Graham McIlvernoch
Glass McIllglaish

Hay McGaragh
Hattan McIllchattan, McGillechattan
Hawthorn McO’Drain, O’Drain, Drean, Drain
Henderson McKendrich
Hendry McKendrich
Hutcheson McHutcheon

Kay/McKay Coidheach
Keith McKeith, McKichan, McKeich, Caidh
Kelly McA’Chalies, McO’Kelly, O’Kelly, O’Kaldie
Kerr McIllchere
King McRigh, McRee

Lang O’Loynachan, Loynachan
Little/Littleson McFiggan, McFigeinn
Livingston McLevin, McLibhiston, McLea, McOnlea
Love McKinven

Mair McA’Maoir
Malloy/Milloy McIlmaluaig
Martin(e) McIlmartin
Mathieson McMa, McMath
Morrison McVorran
Munro McInroich

Paterson/Paton McFater, McPhater, McPhadder
Purcell McSporran

Roy/Gilroy McIllruadh
Revie McIllreavie

Shannon McShannon
Shaw McIlheany
Sellars/Sillars McInarganach
Sinclair McNokarird
Smith McGowan

Thomson McAvish, McCavish, McOmish, McTavish
Tosh McIntosh

Stalker McA’Stoher, McInstocker, McStockair

Williamson McWilliam
Weir McA’Maoir
Wilkie McQuilkan

Young McGillog, McIllog, McGill’oig

[kiterunner]

Interested to see Buie in there - I have some Buies in my tree that I'm stuck on, although I haven't got them back to Scotland yet.

[Shona]

Interested to see Buie in there - I have some Buies in my tree that I'm stuck on, although I haven't got them back to Scotland yet.

Buie is a very much an island name in Argyllshire. They were from South Uist in the Outer Hebrides or Islay in the Inner Hebrides.

[JBee]

Here's a different one for

Shaw = McGilthighnich and variations.

[Shona]

Thanks, Julie. McIlheany is how McGilthighnich is pronounced. Still a leap to get to Shaw!

[JBee]

So not Mac Gill thigh nich then??????

[Shona]

The 'c' of Mac and the following 'g' is a hard K. Thigh has a silent 't', the 'i' is said as 'ee' and 'gh' is silent - so would be said as 'hee'. The 'ch' at the end is silent and the 'i' is another 'ee'

There's a whisky from the island is Islay (pronouced 'Ee-la) called Bruichladdich. You say it 'Broo-ee-clad-dee'.

[ElizabethHerts]

A reliable source told me of this one:


Catto - Catternach

Thanks, OC!

[maggie_4_7]

Thank you Shona I have quite a few of those anglicised names in my Scottish tree.

[Olde Crone]

One which may just be personal to my particular family is

Ferguson = Farqu(h)arson.

I know this thread is about surnames but I love Grace = Grisel/Grizel and Donald = Daniel.

OC

[Shona]

One which may just be personal to my particular family is

Ferguson = Farqu(h)arson.

I know this thread is about surnames but I love Grace = Grisel/Grizel and Donald = Daniel.

OC

Grizel is a favourite of mine, too.

In my family, a lass baptised Christian always had her name recorded as Crusty. Also have a Mor (Sarah) and a couple of Barabals (Barbara).

[maggie_4_7]

Grizel is a favourite of mine, too.

In my family, a lass baptised Christian always had her name recorded as Crusty. Also have a Mor (Sarah) and a couple of Barabals (Barbara).

Yes I have a few Grizels but what always surprises me are what we would think of male names that were used for females.

I have Nicholas, Dundas, Fairfield, Rodgerson apart from the feminised names of William, James, Robert, Charles with INA stuck on the end :D

I do have Christian for a female but it appears more in my English side.

[Shona]

Yes I have a few Grizels but what always surprises me are what we would think of male names that were used for females.

I have Nicholas, Dundas, Fairfield, Rodgerson apart from the feminised names of William, James, Robert, Charles with INA stuck on the end :D

I do have Christian for a female but it appears more in my English side.

Yesterday I came across Isac as a female first name!

[maggie_4_7]

Yesterday I came across Isac as a female first name!

:)

The Scots have a way of their own :D

[JBee]

Yes I've got the Donald v Daniel interchanged too.

[Olde Crone]

Another one is SUPPOSEDLY Isabelle/Elizabeth but I cannot see that myself - I have Isabelle and Elizabeth (Elspeth) as sisters. I also have elsewhere Ishpel, which I assume is the gaelic pronunciation of Isabel.

OC

[Shona]

Another one is SUPPOSEDLY Isabelle/Elizabeth but I cannot see that myself - I have Isabelle and Elizabeth (Elspeth) as sisters. I also have elsewhere Ishpel, which I assume is the gaelic pronunciation of Isabel.

OC According to my mum (she's an Isabella), the Isabelle/Elizabeth connection is via medieval French/Auld Alliance. As you say, Isabelle and Elizabeth are both used as names in their own right. There are many variant forms of Isabelle in Gaelic - Yssbell, Isibe(a)l, Ishbel, Ishpel, Iosobal, Iosbail. Diminutives: Bel, Ib, Bella, Isa, Izzie, Ibbie. And there are probably just as many variants in Irish Gaelic.

Another male name used as a female name: Angus. Or perhaps her dad was drunk when he registered her name as Angus instead of Agnes - that's the family lore. Or a drunken registrar? Angus took the decision to use her middle name.

[Shona]

:)

The Scots have a way of their own :D

Hmm - it looks like Isak, but may be an abbreviation of Isabelle, written as Isab.