Surname McCormick - Meaning and Origin
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Unravelling Ancestral Ties: A Personal Account of My iGENEA DNA Test
Immersing myself in the journey of examining my ancestral roots through the iGENEA DNA test has been intriguing. Unveiling striking revelations, mainly about my surname McCormick and it's Celtic origins in Ireland and Scotland, has profoundly changed my outlook on myself, my cultural affinities, and my family identity.
I. McCormick
read moreMcCormick: What does the surname McCormick mean?
The last name McCormick is an anglicized form of the Gaelic surname “MacCormaic.” It is derived from the Irish words ‘Mac’ meaning ‘son’ and ‘Cormaic’ meaning ‘charioteer’, so the literal translation of the name is ‘Son of the Charioteer’, which was likely referring to a renowned warrior or family tradition.
The McCormick surname originated in the Midlands of Ireland where the ancient Gaelic Kingships of Ui Maine and Ui Fiachrach ruled and is most common in the counties of Galway, Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo. The surname is also found in Scotland, where their ancestors were driven out of Ireland in the 16th and 17th centuries. In Scotland, many members of the family anglicized their name from MacCormaic to McCormick.
If you have the McCormick last name, your ancestors likely had strong ties to ancient Ireland and carried on a centuries-old tradition of a charioteer known for his fierce warrior roots. Despite the various changes of spelling over the centuries, McCormick is still a well-known and respected Irish surname that will likely continue to live on for many years to come.
Order DNA origin analysisMcCormick: Where does the name McCormick come from?
The last name McCormick is still quite common in the United States and Canada today. According to the United States census, the name McCormick ranked 1,623rd in 2018, which puts it among the top 500 most common surnames in the United States. Within Canada, as of 2020, the name McCormick was ranked 276th in terms of popularity, with approximately 11,975 individuals claiming this last name. The first recorded spelling of the name McCormick was found in the 12th century, in Ayrshire, Scotland. It is believed to be of Gaelic origin and derived from the word "Mac Cormaic," meaning "son of Cormac". McCormick is also a surname found in Ireland and Scotland, as the Irish and Scottish forms of the name are Mac Cormaic and Mac Cormick.
McCormick has spread to multiple countries over the centuries, with the largest clusters today residing in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England, and Scotland. More recent waves of immigration likely brought the surname to other countries.
As McCormick is such a common name in the countries mentioned above, it is not unusual for people to have relatives who live internationally in these countries and share the last name McCormick. Owing to the large number of people bearing the name, it is likely that you may meet someone else who has the last name McCormick.
Variations of the surname McCormick
The surname McCormick is derived from the Gaelic Mac Cormaic. Some variants of this surname are MacCormick, MacCormac, Macormic, Makormick, Makormic, McComick, McCormac, McCarmick and McCormack.
McCormick is an anglicization of the Irish version, Mac Cormaic and the Scottish version, MacCormaic. The Irish origin was derived from the word "Mac Cromthaig", which means "son of Cromthach". This was a personal name that was a combination of two Gaelic words: "cruimh" meaning "bent" or "crooked" and "tach" meaning "talker", meaning one who talked crookedly or untruthfully.
The Scottish origin of the name MacCormaic is derived from "MacDhomhuill" or the son of Dòmhnaill. This name originated from the personal first name Dòmhnall, which is made up of "domh" meaning "world" and "val" meaning "supreme".
In Southwestern Scotland, the spelling MacGormick is more common. This variant is possibly derived from the similar sounding MacChormig which is the son of Cormac. In Ireland, some variations on the spelling McCormick are Cormack, Cormac and Comac. These spelling variants have also been used in the Scottish borders area.
McCormick is one of the most common surnames in Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, as the popularity of the surname increased, new variants have appeared in the English language, including McCormack, Cormack, Cormac, Comac and MacGormick.
Famous people with the name McCormick
- Anne McCormick: an American business executive and author.
- Ben McCormick: a former pro basketball player.
- Danny McCormick: a retired MLB pitcher.
- Emanuel C. McCormick: a former U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania.
- Florence King: an American journalist, essayist, and author with the maiden name McCormick.
- Harriet McCormick: a dedicated suffragette and feminist.
- Jane McCormick: a renowned American film, theatre, and television actress.
- Kenny McCormick: a fictional character from the adult comedy show, South Park.
- Lawrie McCormick: a songwriter and musician.
- Mary Pennington McCormick: a prominent feminist and social reformer.
- Seth Mccormick: a retired NFL running back.
- Sidney A. Mccormick: an engineer and inventor-scientist at the University of California, Berkeley.
- Warren Edward McCormick: the former CEO of Ratheon.
- William Wallace McComick: a preacher and founder of the Methodist-Protestant Church.
- Z. Taylor Mccormick: an American Civil War veteran and Medal of Honor recipient.