MCDEVITT
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Devitt, Mcdevitt
McDevitt is a surname of Irish origin that is found throughout the British Isles and beyond. The name is rooted in the Gaelic Mac Daibheid, literally meaning “son of David.” The reference to David ultimately comes from the Hebrew name Dawid, which translates as “beloved” or “friend.” Therefore the surname can be interpreted as “son of the beloved one.”
Different antiquated Gaelic forms give rise to the modern surname. One source is MacDhubhlacht, the “son of Dubhlacht,” where Dubhlacht is an old personal name that may derive from dubh meaning “black” or from a diminutive of Lachtna, meaning “fierce‑looking.” Another variant is MacDaibhidh, a direct rendering of “son of David.” The form MacDáibí associates the name with the Irish version of Jesus, while MacDubhghaill translates as “son of Dubhghaill,” a personal name formed from dubh (“black”) and gall (“stranger”). The English interpretation nevertheless favours the linkage to the biblical figure David.
When the Gaelic forms were anglicised, a number of spellings emerged, including MacDevey, MacDeves, MacDevy, MacDevoy, MacDivitt and MacDuff. Other popular spellings are McDavitt, MacDavitt, McDade and McQuaid. The surname is sometimes rendered with an apostrophe as M’Devitt or M’Divitt.
In Ireland the name is particularly common in County Donegal and also appears in County Monaghan, Tyrone and Antrim. The modern distribution in the United Kingdom is concentrated in the Scottish counties of Wigtown, Ayr and Lanark. In the United States the surname is most frequently found in the states of Pennsylvania, New York, California and Massachusetts, with a noticeable presence in the Appalachian region. Canadian records show a strong concentration of McDevitts in Nova Scotia, a settlement area for early Scottish and Irish immigrants.
Statistical data indicate that individuals bearing the surname McDevitt tend to live slightly longer than the national average, with an estimated life expectancy of 83.5 years. The lineage is traditionally associated with both Catholic and Protestant denominations, though a minority of bearers are of other faiths.
Because of mass migration during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the surname has spread widely, appearing in Australia, New Zealand and other parts of the world. Its prevalence outside Ireland and Scotland reflects the broader diaspora of Irish and Scottish peoples in the modern era.
Typical given names associated with the McDevitt surname
Male
- Anthony
- Brian
- James
- John
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- William
Female
- Ann
- Anne
- Elizabeth
- Jacqueline
- Julie
- June
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Maureen
- Michelle
- Nicola
- Sarah
- Stephanie
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 McDevitt in...
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There are approximately 916 people named McDevitt in the UK. That makes it roughly the 7,889th most common surname in Britain. Around 14 in a million people in Britain are named McDevitt.
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 McDevitt
- Chas McDevitt - Musician
- Conall McDevitt - Northern Irish politician
- Kenny McDevitt - 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.