MCEVOY
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Evoy, Mcevoy
The surname McEvoy is of Irish origin, deriving from Gaelic patronymics that indicate descent.
One of the earliest recorded forms is Mac Dhuibhshíthe, which translates literally as “son of Duibhshíth.” The personal name Duibhshíth is composed of dubh meaning “black” and síth meaning “peace”; consequently the surname may be rendered as “son of the black‑peace.”
Alternate Gaelic roots are also documented. Mac Giolla Bhuidhe means “son of the follower of the fair‑haired one,” an expression that suggests a historical link with Norse settlements on the east coast of Ireland during the ninth to eleventh centuries. In this version giolla denotes “follower” or “servant,” while bhuidhe refers to a fair or yellow hair colour. Some records, however, credit a different origin, Mac Fhiodhbhuidhe, which is interpreted as “son of the woodman.” The variation in these derivations reflects the complex intermixing of Gaelic and Norse influences in medieval Irish society.
The earliest surviving reference to the name dates back to the year 1100, where an Abbot of Mungret, Conn Mac Giolla Bhuidhe, is mentioned in the Irish annals. This places the name firmly within the sovereign realm of the High Kings of Ireland between 1022 and 1166.
During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the name underwent a series of orthographic changes, producing spellings such as McAvey, McAviy, McAvoy, McEvay, McEabuoy, MacGilloway, McElwee, and MacVeagh. The most common modern form, McEvoy, emerged in the centuries that followed and is the form found today in Ireland and abroad.
Geographically, the McEvoy clan is traditionally associated with the medieval kingdom of Laois, formerly known as Leix, situated in the central part of Ireland. They held lordship over the townships of Mountrath and Raheen, and parts of the barony of Moygish in County Westmeath. In 1609, several members of the sept migrated to County Kerry, a movement that explains the contemporary concentration of the name in that province.
Notable bearers include Francis MacEvoy (1751 – 1804), who served as president of the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, reflecting the continued prominence of the family within professional and civic life.
In the modern era, the McEvoy surname can be found across the world thanks to the large Irish diaspora that settled in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. While the frequency of the name in these countries varies with each wave of migration, the surname remains linked to its original Irish roots through both lineal descent and the preservation of its Gaelic etymology.
Typical given names associated with the McEvoy surname
Male
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Peter
- Thomas
Female
- Anne
- Catherine
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Joanne
- Julie
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- 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 McEvoy in...
Braille
⠍⠉⠑⠧⠕⠽
Morse
---.-.....-----.--
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname McEvoy are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Chocolate Digestive.
There are approximately 5,269 people named McEvoy in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,797th most common surname in Britain. Around 81 in a million people in Britain are named McEvoy.
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 McEvoy
- Peter McEvoy - Amateur golfer, golf course architect, golf administrator, writer
- Don McEvoy - Football player and manager (1928 to 2004)
- Michael McEvoy - Cricketer
- Ambrose McEvoy - Painter (1878 to 1927)
- James McEvoy - (1943 to 2010)
- Jonathan McEvoy - Cyclist
- Harry McEvoy - Businessman (1902 to 1984)
- Christopher McEvoy - Flying ace (1899 to 1953)
- Ricky McEvoy - Irish association football player
- Dorothy McEvoy - Cricketer (1910 to 1994)
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.