MCGUINNESS
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Guinness, Mcguinness
McGuinness is an Irish surname of Gaelic origin that traditionally derives from the name Mag Aonghusa, the genitive of Aonghus, meaning “son of Aonghus”. The personal name Aonghus itself is formed from aon ‘one’ and gus ‘choice’ or ‘vigor’, so that the surname conveys the sense “son of the one who chooses” or “son of the vigorous one”.
The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to 1150 AD, when it appears in the Early Records of Iveagh in County Down during the reign of Turlough Mor O'Connor, the High King of Ireland. By the twelfth century the Mac Aonghusa had established themselves as territorial lords of the Iveagh region, with a fortress at Rathfriland, and they participated in the Battle of the Yellow Ford in 1598 alongside Hugh O'Neill.
Over the centuries the name has been recorded in a wide array of spellings, including MacGenis, McGinnis, MacGuiness, McGuiness, Guiness, Guinness and many others. These variations reflect differences in phonetic rendering and anglicisation, yet all retain the same Gaelic lineage. In particular, the spelling Guinness is well known because the present chief of the Iveagh clan was, until recently, president of the Dublin brewery founded by Arthur Guinness in 1759, which at one time was the largest brewer in the world.
The surname is most strongly associated with the province of Ulster, especially County Down, County Donegal and County Tyrone. It is the fortieth most common name in Ireland today, and it is also found in northern England – notably Merseyside, Manchester and South Yorkshire – and in the United States, where bearers are commonly situated in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.
Notable individuals bearing the name include actor James McGuinness, politician Martin McGuinness, actress Maureen McGuinness and singer Donnie McGuinness. Their achievements in the arts, public service and music have brought contemporary recognition to a surname that has long been linked to Irish history and mythology.
The McGuinness family continues to maintain a strong sense of identity through regular reunions and events that bring together branches of the lineage from Ireland, Britain and the United States. These gatherings reinforce the enduring connection between the name, its Gaelic roots and the cultural heritage of those who carry it.
Typical given names associated with the McGuinness surname
Male
- David
- James
- John
- Kevin
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Stephen
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Ann
- Anne
- Catherine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Macguinness
- Macguiness
- Mcguinnes
- Macanas
- Mackaness
- Mackencie
- Mackenize
- Mackens
- Mackensie
- Mackenze
- Mackenzee
- Mackenzi
- Mackenzie
- Mackeonis
- Mackinnes
- Mackins
- Mackinze
- Mackinzie
- Mackness
- Macneice
- Macness
- Magginnis
- Maguines
- Maguiness
- Maguinnes
- Maguinness
- Makansi
- Makanza
- Makens
- Makenzie
- Makins
- Makinzie
- Mccance
- Mccanns
- Mcckenzie
- Mcginness
- Mcguinan
- Mcguine
- Mcguiness
- Mcguinn
- Mcguinne
- Mcguinnis
- Mcguinniss
- Mcguness
- Mcgunness
- Mcgunnis
- Mcinness
- Mckenize
- Mckennzie
- Mckensie
- Mckenze
- Mckenzi
- Mckenzie
- Mckiness
- Mckinnes
- Mckinnis
- Mckinniss
- Mckinsie
- Mckinzie
- Mcknzie
- Mcnease
- Mcneece
- Mcnees
- Mcneice
- Mcness
- Mcnice
- Mcniece
- Mcquiness
- Meakins
- Meckenzie
- Meckins
- Meekcoins
- Meekins
- Mekens
- Mekins
- Mickens
- Mickunas
- Miggins
- Miguens
- Mikenas
- Miknius
- Mogans
- Muggins
- Mukans
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname McGuinness in...
Braille
⠍⠉⠛⠥⠊⠝⠝⠑⠎⠎
Morse
---.-.--...-..-.-........
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname McGuinness are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Bourbon.
There are approximately 8,618 people named McGuinness in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,100th most common surname in Britain. Around 132 in a million people in Britain are named McGuinness.
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 McGuinness
- Paddy McGuinness - Comedian, comedy actor, television personality and presenter
- Yvonne McGuinness - Irish artist
- John McGuinness - Motorcycle racer
- Wilf McGuinness - Football player and manager
- Tony McGuinness - Musician
- Tom McGuinness - Musician
- Paul McGuinness - Football player
- Eugene McGuinness - Singer-songwriter
- Stephen Michael McGuinness - DJ
- Brian McGuinness - Philosopher
- James McGuinness - Roman Catholic Bishop of Nottingham (1925 to 2007)
- Bobby McGuinness - Scottish football player
- Norah McGuinness - Irish artist (1901 to 1980)
- John McGuinness - Lawn bowler
- Chris McGuinness - Irish hurler
- Gerry McGuinness - Scottish rugby union football player and coach
- Kirsty McGuinness - 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.