MCCAFFREY
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Caffrey, Mccaffrey
McCaffrey is an Irish surname of Gaelic origin, traditionally found across the British Isles, particularly in Ireland.
The name is derived from the Gaelic Mac Eachmharcaigh, which literally means “son of Eachmharcach.” The personal name Eachmharcach is composed of the elements each, meaning “horse,” and marcach, meaning “rider” or “warrior.” Consequently, the surname can be interpreted as “son of the horse rider” or “son of the warrior,” a description that suggests a family association with cavalry or equestrian pursuits.
Historically the McCaffreys have been recorded as a sept within the celebrated Clan MacGuires of Fermanagh. Their prominence is evidenced by the naming of the town of Ballymacaffry in County Tyrone after them. The surname is also documented without the Mac prefix, especially in counties Meath and Cavan, and has been connected to the Gaelic Mac Gafraidh, translated as “son of Godfrey.” This variant is linked to followers of the 6th‑century Saint Godfrey.
Early records of the surname are sparse, partly because many original registers were destroyed in 1922 during the occupation of the Public Records Office in Dublin. Nevertheless, surviving documents include a 1659 hearth‑tax entry that lists Hugh MacCaffrey in Ireland under the reign of Richard Cromwell, known as the Lord Protector. Later entries record individuals such as Frank MacCaffrey, a witness in Virginia County Cavan on 1 March 1802, and John McCaffery, aged 23, with Eliza aged 20, both noted as Famine emigrants on the ship Atlas of Liverpool in 1846, bound for New York.
Spelling variations of the surname are numerous, reflecting the anglicisation of Gaelic orthography. Common forms include MacCaffrey, MacCaffery, MacCafferty, MacAffrey, and MacEffer Ey. When the Mac or Mc prefix is omitted, further variants such as Affery, Affrey, Effery, and Effrey appear. Some records also show the name rendered as Mac Goffrey, a phonetically accurate but now rare spelling.
The Great Famine of the 1840s accelerated the dispersion of the McCaffrey surname beyond Ireland, establishing sizeable communities in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia. The diaspora has contributed to the name’s presence in a wide variety of professional fields, from literature and music to sport. Notable contemporary figures include the American author Anne McCaffrey and the American football player Christian McCaffrey.
Despite its global spread, the surname remains recognisable as a marker of Irish heritage, especially within Northern Ireland where its roots in County Fermanagh and association with the Maguire clan persist. The McCaffrey name continues to be used by families who trace their ancestry back to the early Gaelic bearers of the name.
Typical given names associated with the McCaffrey surname
Male
- Brian
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Sean
- Stephen
- Thomas
Female
- Anne
- Catherine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Frances
- Karen
- Linda
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Teresa
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 McCaffrey in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 2,672 people named McCaffrey in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,334th most common surname in Britain. Around 41 in a million people in Britain are named McCaffrey.
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 McCaffrey
- Christian McCaffrey - American football player
- Jim McCaffrey - Football player
- Stephanie McCaffrey - American football player
- Dermot McCaffrey - Northern Irish football player
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.