MCVICAR
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Vicar, Mcvicar
McVicar is a Scottish surname that derives from the Gaelic term Mac an Bhiocaire, which translates literally to “son of the vicar.” The name is patronymic, indicating that the original bearer was the son of a churchman who served as a vicar or clergyman within a local parish.
The earliest documented appearance of the name is in the late fifteenth century, with spellings such as Makvicar and M'Bhiocair noted in the records of Argyllshire. A 1502 entry records Donald, son of Makfikar, while a 1529 document references Archibald M'Yvicare, who served as provost of the Collegiate Church of Kilmond. Further attestations include Nevin Makvicar as a charter witness in 1543 and Sir Niall McVicar, rector of Lochawe, in 1555. By the late sixteenth century, a Schir Newyne M'Vicar is described as commissar of Ergile.
The name was closely associated with the Macnaughton clan, later aligning with the Campbells of Argyll. In 1654 it appears that a Patrick McVicar served George Campbell of Inveraray, and a standing stone once marked the historical boundary between the Macvicars and the Macivers. A notable migration occurred in 1812 when Robert McVicar of Mull emigrated to York Factory on Hudson Bay and settled near the Red River.
Over the centuries the surname has undergone various orthographic changes. Variants such as McVicker, MacVicar, McViccar and MacVicker appear in parish registers, while in contemporary usage the spelling McVicar is most common in Scotland, particularly in the Highland regions of Argyll and the Hebrides. Though originally linked to ecclesiastical service, the adoption of hereditary surnames in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries meant that not all bearers were clergy.
The McVicar surname spread beyond the British Isles during periods of social change, notably the Highland Clearances, and can now be found in countries with large Scottish diaspora communities, including the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Despite this global dispersion, the name remains common in Scotland and continues to be represented in diverse professions, ranging from the arts—with figures such as film director Peter McVicar—to the music industry with personalities like musician John McVicar.
Typical given names associated with the McVicar surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- Euan
- Iain
- Ian
- James
- John
- Neil
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
- William
Female
- Alison
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Fiona
- Jacqueline
- Jane
- Joanne
- Julie
- Karin
- Margaret
- Mary
- 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 McVicar in...
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There are approximately 1,129 people named McVicar in the UK. That makes it roughly the 6,723rd most common surname in Britain. Around 17 in a million people in Britain are named McVicar.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Scotland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named McVicar
- Don McVicar - Scottish football player (1962 to 2006)
- Annie McVicar - Community worker, local politician (1862 to 1954)
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.