MCKEVITT
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Kevitt, Mckevitt
McKevitt is a surname of Gaelic Irish origin, first recorded within the British Isles, predominantly in the island of Ireland. The name derives from an ancient Gaelic patronymic, indicating descent from a named ancestor. It is traditionally classified as a Christian, Celtic surname that arose from the naming convention *Mac*, meaning *son of*, appended to a personal name.
The principal variant that survives most commonly in contemporary records is McKevitt. Other historical spellings, all of which trace to the same root, include Mac Dhuibhshithe, Mac Dhuibh – shithe, Mac Daibheid, and Mac Ui bhFithich. Each variant reflects differences in phonetic interpretation of the original Gaelic orthography and in the process of Anglicisation that occurred across the centuries.
The name Mac Dhuibhshithe is interpreted as “son of Duibhshithe,” where the elements *dubh* mean “black” and *sithe* means “peace.” Consequently, the surname has been rendered as “son of the black peace.” An alternative etymological proposal derives the name from Mac Daibhheid, meaning “son of David.” In this theory the personal name David is itself sourced from the ancient Hebrew tradition signifying “beloved of all.” Historical accounts note that the family line may have once been connected with David O’Doherty, a chief of Cinel Conaill who fell in battle in 1208, though definitive genealogical evidence is limited.
A further derivation suggests that Mac Ui bhFithich translates to “son of the raven.” This hypothesis is linked to a cultural practice in ancient Ireland where warriors adopted sobriquets that evoked attributes associated with success in battle. The raven, respected for its intellect and mystique, provided a powerful emblem within such naming traditions.
Recorded evidence of the surname appears in a variety of contexts. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, individuals such as Elizabeth McDeid of Londonderry, William John McDade of Dromore in County Down, and Catherine McKevitt of Newry are documented in parish registers and marriage records. Mass migration during the Great Famine saw members of the clan emigrating aboard the ship Brothers in April 1846, bound for New York. The name also features in Scottish and particularly Glaswegian records, confirming cross‑island dispersion during periods of migration and settlement.
The McKevitt family was historically associated with agriculture and landholding in the counties of Donegal, Derry, and Tyrone. They served as local leaders and community landlords. The patterns of settlement during the Ulster Plantations of the seventeenth century are reflected in the spread of the surname across Northern Ireland, where many bearers adopted the name of landed proprietors or converted the original Gaelic form to a more Anglicised version for administrative purposes.
In contemporary times, the surname remains most frequent in Ireland. Statistical surveys place it as the forty‑eighth most common name in the country, attesting to its enduring presence. Nevertheless, the name has seen wide diaspora: individuals carrying the surname can now be found in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. The broad dispersion is facilitated by the variety of spellings, including McKevitt, Mac Kevitt, McKevett, McEvitt, and McDade. Some families have even adopted further variant forms such as Kippett and Kevitt when settling abroad, reflecting regional dialectical influences and the necessity of aligning with bureaucratic naming conventions.
Notable historical figures bearing the surname include Patrick McKevitt (1635‑1712), an Irish poet and playwright whose works remain significant in the canon of Irish literature. His legacy has helped to preserve the cultural footprint of the name within Irish society and beyond.
Presently, a community of individuals connected by the surname’s heritage maintains an active online group that facilitates networking amongst those carrying the name. This contemporary platform demonstrates the ongoing relevance and identity attached to the McKevitt surname across the globe.
Typical given names associated with the McKevitt surname
Male
- Bernard
- Brian
- Daniel
- David
- Francis
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Thomas
Female
- Anne
- Annette
- Catherine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Fiona
- Karen
- Kerry
- Maeve
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Nicola
- Sarah
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 McKevitt in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 752 people named McKevitt in the UK. That makes it roughly the 9,194th most common surname in Britain. Around 12 in a million people in Britain are named McKevitt.
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 McKevitt
- Steve McKevitt - Author
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.