MCANDREW
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Andrew, Mcandrew
The surname McAndrew is a patronymic surname of Gaelic origin, meaning “son of Andrew.” It derives from the Gaelic phrase Mac Aindriú, the personal name Andrew in turn coming from the Greek Andreas, which is interpreted as “manly” or “brave.” The Greek form shows the earliest recorded usage of the name in the Domesday Book of 1086; it was adopted into Scottish usage by the early fourteenth century.
Documentary evidence for the name in Scotland first appears in 1502 with a reference to Donald Makandro at Kilravock. Earlier attestations, however, exist: the name is recorded as John Andree in 1395 at Kyrknes and Loucher, during the reign of King Robert the First. The first recording of the patronymic form M'Andrew is noted in 1242, and the name appears in various spellings through the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries, including Wielelmus Andro (1399, Edinburgh), Malcon Andree (1511, Aberdeen) and Makallum MacAndro (1550, Murthlac).
Variations of the surname are widespread. Recognised forms include MacAndrew, MacAndra, McAndrews, M'Andrie, McAndro and Makindrew. Many of these spellings arose from differences in dialect, orthographic practices and the transition of the name from Gaelic to English contexts.
Within the British Isles the surname remains most prevalent in Scotland and Northern Ireland. In Scotland it is common throughout the Central and North‑East regions, with a comparatively smaller presence along the western coast. In Northern Ireland the name is largely concentrated in Ulster, reflecting historical migration from Scotland to that province. Minor concentrations are also found in the far north of England, notably in Cumbria and Yorkshire.
Through the centuries of emigration from the British Isles, the surname has spread to numerous English‑speaking countries. The largest concentrations abroad appear in the United States, especially in New York, New Jersey, California and Ohio, as well as in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other colonies that received substantial Scottish and Irish settlers.
The heraldic emblem traditionally associated with the McAndrew family consists of a green shield featuring three silver bars and three wheat sheaves against a blue upper border. The crest, positioned above the shield, bears the head of a boar surrounded by a holly wreath, symbolising strength and resilience.
As a patronymic lineage, the surname denotes descent from an individual named Andrew, indicating an ancestral connection to a man who bore that given name. The name therefore encapsulates both a personal identifier and a genealogical marker that has endured from the early medieval period to the present day.
Typical given names associated with the McAndrew surname
Male
- Anthony
- David
- James
- John
- Martin
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Robert
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Anne
- Catherine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Fiona
- Helen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sally
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname McAndrew in...
Braille
⠍⠉⠁⠝⠙⠗⠑⠺
Morse
---.-..--.-...-...--
Semaphore
There are approximately 2,862 people named McAndrew in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,121st most common surname in Britain. Around 44 in a million people in Britain are named McAndrew.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named McAndrew
- Nell McAndrew - Model
- Daisy McAndrew - Journalist
- Tony McAndrew - Football player
- Willie McAndrew - Football player (1887 to 1965)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.