Surname MacKilduff - Meaning and Origin
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MacKilduff: What does the surname MacKilduff mean?
The surname MacKilduff is of Scottish origin, and is derived from the Gaelic phrase Mac Giolla Dhubh which translates roughly from the Irish language to mean "son of the dark-haired one." This phrase was often used as an epithet to describe a person who was dark-haired or dark-eyed. In Scotland, the name MacKilduff was likely derived from a personal name such as "Kilduff" or "Kildou". The name is common across Scotland, and some variations of the spelling include MacKildow, MacKildoe, MacKildowie, and MacKenteig.
The many variations of MacKilduff reflect the changing times in Scotland over the centuries. The way names evolved would often follow migrations or other changes in the social or political landscape. In some cases, spelling variations of the surname were used to distinguish individuals or different branches of a given family, as surnames were more often than not used to denote the familial line.
MacKilduff remains a popular surname today, and many people continue to share the name. The MacKilduff surname also still appears in many places throughout Scotland, ranging from physical locations to surnames listed on historic records. No matter the spelling, the surname MacKilduff has been around for centuries, reflecting the diverse culture in Scotland and withstanding constant change over time.
Order DNA origin analysisMacKilduff: Where does the name MacKilduff come from?
The last name MacKilduff is most commonly found throughout Scotland, Ulster and Northern Ireland. It is thought to originate from Mac Giolla Duibh, meaning ‘son of the dark man’. It is derived from the ancient Gaelic native Scottish family of the same name.
The MacKilduff name is especially common in the Northern Irish Regional Council of Fermanagh where it is listed as the most frequently occurring name in the area. It's also popular around the County Antrim region and found to be frequent in Counties Donegal and Monaghan.
In Scotland, there are still small pockets of the MacKilduff family name. This includes parts of the Highland Council, Aberdeenshire, and Argyll & Bute. It has a long history in Scotland, particularly around the historical counties of Renfrewshire, Angus, and Elginshire.
The MacKilduff name can also be encountered across the United States, especially in places such as Indiana, California, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Overall, the MacKilduff surname continues to be quite prominent among its native homeland of Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is also popular among those living in countries around the world, particularly in the United States.
Variations of the surname MacKilduff
MacKilduff is a variant of the Irish surname Mac Giolla Dubh, also spelled MacGillduff and MacGilleduff. It is an Anglicization of the Gaelic phrase Mac Giolla Dubh meaning "son of the black servant". Its variants are Macintosh, MacDonald, MacDool and MacDoob.
The MacKilduff surname originated in Scotland but can be found in Ireland as well. The MacDonald/MacDowall branch of the family were historically based in Kintyre, in Argyll, Scotland, but were part of the Scottish Gallovidian tribe in Ireland.
The surname has been spelled many different ways over the centuries such as MacKildff, MacKildaff, MacKildaph, MacKildauf, Makilduf, Makildeuf and Mackylduff. It is common for names to evolve over time through mispronunciations and misspellings.
In the United States, there are a few notable people of MacKilduff descent including H.D. MacKilduff, a Confederate soldier in the American Civil War, and Michael MacKilduff, a production assistant and executive for the television show "Seinfeld".
The more popular spellings of the surname today are MacKilduff, MacGillduff, MacGilleduff, MacKildaph, Macintosh, MacDonald, MacDool and MacDoob. All of these variants stem from the same Gaelic ancestor and share a common origin.
Famous people with the name MacKilduff
- Stuart MacKilduff: American actor best known for his role in Theresa's Tattoo;
- Bill MacKilduff: Canadian part-time actor, director and producer;
- Alexander MacKilduff: Former professional basketball player;
- Jack MacKilduff: Former professional hockey player;
- Iain MacKilduff: Scottish former professional football player;
- Sean MacKilduff: Scottish politician and life peer;
- John MacKilduff: Professional lacrosse player;
- Margaret MacKilduff: Prominent Australian lawyer for compensation cases;
- Ian MacKilduff: Professional rugby union player;
- Joseph MacKilduff: Irish barrister, lawyer and convicted murderer.