MCDAID
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Daid, Mc'Daid, Mcdaid
McDaid is a surname of Irish provenance, rooted in the Gaelic linguistic tradition of the Celtic peoples of the British Isles. It is traditionally classed as a patronymic name, formed by the prefix Mac, meaning “son of”, followed by a personal name.
The most widely accepted derivation is from the Gaelic Mac Daibhéid, which literally translates as “son of Daibhéid”. The personal name Daibhéid is a variant of the biblical name David, itself derived from the Hebrew word דָּוִד (Davíd), meaning “beloved”. Consequently, the surname can be interpreted as “son of the beloved”. This explanation accords with the source that states the surname is “derived from the Gaelic name Mac Daibhéid, meaning ‘son of Daibhéid’” and that David is a Hebrew name of meaning “beloved”.
Alternative etymological accounts appear in the record. One source records the surname as stemming from Ó Doibhde, meaning “descendant of Dubhdith”. The personal name Dubhdith is described as a diminutive of dubh, the Irish word for “dark” or “black”, suggesting an original bearer with dark hair or eye colour. This alternative derivation is recognised among some families who claim descent from the Ua Dubhda dynasty of medieval Ulster.
The surname has evolved into a number of orthographic variants, the most common of which include MacDavitt, McDaid, McDavid, McDade, Davison, and McDevitt. In the counties of Donegal and Derry, the spellings McDaid and McDade are particularly frequent. Variants such as MacDaid, MacDiad, and MacDay also appear in historical documents, particularly within Scottish records in Ayrshire and Glasgow.
Within Ireland the name is concentrated in the province of Ulster, especially in County Donegal, County Derry and neighbouring counties such as Sligo and Mayo. A significant portion of bearers the name in the mid‑nineteenth century appears in parish and civil registers of Dromore, County Down, and the town of Inishowen. In the diaspora, the surname is recognised in Scotland, Australia, Canada and the United States, brought by emigrants seeking new opportunities during the nineteenth‑century exodus.
Historically, the McDaid lineage is associated with the ancient Durrow dynasty of Tír Chonaill, and some records record a notable ancestor, David O’Doherty, a chief of Cinel Conaill who died in 1208. The “new clan” that grew around him, according to one source, saw considerable expansion in Inishowen during the medieval period. The name’s appearance in Scotland, particularly in Glasgow, reflects the historical movement of Irish families across the Irish Sea during the late Middle Ages and early modern era.
In summary, the surname McDaid encapsulates a rich intertwining of Gaelic tradition, biblical legacy, and regional history, sustained through its continued use in Ireland, Scotland and the wider Irish diaspora. Its many orthographic variants and documented presence in parish records illustrate the enduring nature of this ancient patronymic form.
Typical given names associated with the McDaid surname
Male
- Anthony
- Christopher
- Daniel
- James
- John
- Kevin
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- William
Female
- Ann
- Anne
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Jacqueline
- Kathleen
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Sheila
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 McDaid in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname McDaid are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Fig Roll.
There are approximately 2,430 people named McDaid in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,585th most common surname in Britain. Around 37 in a million people in Britain are named McDaid.
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 McDaid
- Johnny McDaid - Musician, songwriter, producer
- Kevin McDaid - Singer
- David McDaid - Football player
- Declan McDaid - Scottish football player
- Sean McDaid - Scottish 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.