Surname M'Coyne - Meaning and Origin

M'Coyne: What does the surname M'Coyne mean?

The last name M'Coyne is an Irish-origin surname that has a variety of spellings and was taken from multiple locations in Ireland. The most common spelling of the name is McCoyne or MacCoyne.

The origin of the name is connected to the Gaelic term “mac huigin”, which translates to "son of Ugain", a high level chieftain. This name is thought to have been associated with the Magennises, a prominent clan in Ireland in the 9th century. The Magennis clan lived on the south side of Lough Neagh, near present-day Belfast, and is believed to have been related to the O’Byrne clan, a family from Down.

The McCoyne name is closely associated with county Tyrone in Northern Ireland, suggesting the root of the family may date back to the O'Neills of Clandeboy and the Magennis Clan. The first record of the family name in records from Ireland is the marriage of Margaret MacCoyne and Andrew Gillespie in 1723.

The McCoyne name was also adopted in Scotland, and it is found sparsely in areas near the Scottish border. It is thought that many of its bearers are descended from Irish settlers who crossed the Irish Sea in the 1600s.

In America, the name is often mistakenly recorded as McCoy or McCune. The name can also be found in other countries, such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It is typically used as a variant of the Gaelic MacCoyne or MacCune clans.

M'Coyne: Where does the name M'Coyne come from?

The last name M'Coyne is primarily found in Ireland. It is a variation of the Irish surname Mac Aodhagain, which is derived from the Gaelic Mac Aodhagáin, meaning "son of Aodhagan". The Gaelic form of the name is most commonly translated to English as McCoyne.

In Ireland, McCoyne is most commonly found in Counties Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, and Tyrone. While it is not as common as some other Irish surnames, M'Coyne is certainly not unheard of. According to the Irish Times, it is the 1,710th most commonly encountered surname in Ireland.

McCoyne has spread far beyond Ireland; it can also be found in other parts of the world, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

This name is on the rise, with the most notable McCoyne today being Hector McCoyne, a world-renowned Naval pilot, and Derek McCoyne, an American boxer and former world champion.

All in all, the last name M'Coyne is most commonly found in Ireland, but is distributed in other parts of the world as well. It is on the rise in popularity, and, with notable individuals such as Hector McCoyne and Derek McCoyne, remains an important part of Irish culture today.

Variations of the surname M'Coyne

The surname M'Coyne is of Irish origin and has multiple spellings and variants. It is sometimes rendered as MacCoyne, M'Koyne, McCoyne, MacKoyne, MacCoyn, McKoyne, McKoyn, M'Koyn or M'Koyne. Variations in spelling were most likely due to differing historical manuscripts, native pronunciation and the French colonization of the region in the Middle Ages.

The Irish Gaelic words that make up the surname M'Coyne include Mac, meaning son, and the personal name Coyne. The family name most likely denotes the descendants of the son of Coyne. The most common alternative spelling for Coyne is Coin/Coine. In Gaelic, Coin/Coine is derived from the words cu, meaning hound, and Fionn, meaning fair or blond. This gives the family name the meaning of the hound of the fair-haired man.

The earliest recorded example of the M'Coyne name is in County Antrim, Ireland. There was also a branch of the M'Coyne family in County Cork, known as MacKoyne of Ballymacmoyne. The county Cork family moved to the United States in the late 1700s and settled in Pennsylvania. Today, the surname is still most commonly found in the United States, especially in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Michigan.

The name is also found in Scotland, where variants include McEoin, McKeown, McKone, and MacKoyne. There are also M'Coyne families in England, France, Australia, and Canada. All these spellings and variants are ultimately derived from the same basic root element.

Famous people with the name M'Coyne

• Naturi Naughton: American singer and actress
• Jim McCune: Former professional ice hockey forward who played in the National Hockey League
• Teresa McCoyne: English long-distance runner and former Women's Sports Foundation president
• Eoin McNeany: Irish Gaelic footballer
• Blaine M'Coyne: Professional wrestler
• Jim M'Coyne: Scottish footballer
• David M'Coyne: American soldier and Medal of Honor recipient
• Adam M'Coyne: Scottish rugby union player
• John M'Coyne: Irish boxing historian
• Kevin C. M'Coyne: American author and professor

Other surnames

M'Coy