Surname MacKilcourse - Meaning and Origin
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MacKilcourse: What does the surname MacKilcourse mean?
The last name MacKilcourse is of Scottish origin predominantly from the Argyll region in the country's west coast. It is an Anglicized version of the Gaelic surname Mac an Ghil Cosair which is composed of two Gaelic elements. The first element, Mac, translates as “son of”, while an Ghil Cosair translates as "servant of the follower of Christ".
MacKilcourse can be seen as an occupational surname because it is derived from the Old Gaelic term for a clerk or church servant. This may be indicative of an ancestor who was involved in clerical work in the medieval Church of Scotland.
The MacKilcourse surname is believed to have been borne by a family from the district of Lochgilphead, Argyll, during the 13th and 14th centuries. By the mid-sixteenth century, several branches of the family had spread from this district throughout Scotland, and some had migrated to Canada and the USA.
Today, the MacKilcourse name is common in Scotland and the surrounding British Isles. Particularly in the Argyll region, many still bear the surname and often use the Gaelic spelling “Mac an Ghil Cosair” as a way of acknowledging their familial heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisMacKilcourse: Where does the name MacKilcourse come from?
The MacKilcourse surname is most commonly found in areas of Ireland, Scotland, England, and the United States, particularly in the northeast region of the United States.
In Ireland, the MacKilcourse surname is more prevalent in the Munster Province, located in the south of the country. Irish families with the surname are especially concentrated around Cork City, County Cork, and County Mayo.
Tracing its Scottish origins, the MacKilcourse surname can be found mainly in the south-west region of Scotland, specifically around the Ayrshire area.
In England, the MacKilcourse family name is particularly prevalent in counties such as Cumbria and Northumberland, located in the north-west of the country near the border with Scotland.
Lastly, the MacKilcourse surname has reached America in recent decades, but clusters of families with the surname can be found primarily on the east coast and in the northeast. It’s most commonly found in states such as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.
Therefore, while the MacKilcourse surname is certainly a global phenomenon, its most prominent locations remain strongly entrenched in the UK and Ireland, as well as in the northeast of the US.
Variations of the surname MacKilcourse
MacKilcourse is an Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Ailghiusa, meaning "son of Ailghiusa". Variants of MacKilcourse include Mac Kilcours, Mac Kilcoursie, Mac Kilcoursiey, Mac Kilcourse, Macalcourse, Mackalcourse, Macilcourse, MacKilcours, Mackilcoursie, McCilcourse, McCilcours, and McKilcourse.
The original spelling of the name was Mac Ailghiusa, but it changed over time as it crossed borders and languages. Many of the variations and spellings exist as a result of this transition. For example, some spellings include the double 'c' as a result of the Norman influence in Ireland and Scotland, and the double 'l' is an Anglicised spelling of the original name.
In some cases, the surname has been shortened to ‘Course or Coursey’, while others have reduced it even further to ‘Corse’.
The surname is most often found in Ireland, Scotland and the United Kingdom but due to the diaspora of Anglo-Irish and Scots-Irish people, it can be found across the globe. The surname is sometimes used by people of other nationalities, often as a result of intermarriage.
MacKilcourse is a relatively rare surname with only about 500 bearers of the name in Ireland, Scotland and the United Kingdom combined. However, derived surnames including the variants above have been known to have hundreds and even thousands of bearers.
Famous people with the name MacKilcourse
- Alison MacKilcourse: British actress and Associate Director of the National Theatre Conservatory.
- Rebecca MacKilcourse: U.S. TV Actress and Director.
- Toron MacKilcourse: American writer and actor.
- Allegra MacKilcourse: American Model and Entrepreneur.
- Jean MacKilcourse: Canadian Actress.
- Eric MacKilcourse: U.S. Football Player.
- John MacKilcourse: Former U.S. Army Major General.
- Andrew MacKilcourse: International Television Production Associate.
- Nancy MacKilcourse: U.K. Selling and Marketing Businesswoman.
- Peter MacKilcourse: U.S. Air Force General.