Surname McCarville - Meaning and Origin

McCarville: What does the surname McCarville mean?

The surname McCarville is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Cairebheallaigh", which means 'son of Cairebheallach'. The prefix "Mac" in Irish surnames denotes "son of", indicating that the name is patronymic. The personal name 'Cairebheallach' is composed of two elements: ‘cairb’ which means ‘hacking’ and ‘beul’ which means ‘mouth’. This name might have originally been a nickname for someone with a sharp or abusive language. This surname is predominantly found in northern Ireland, especially in the county of Fermanagh. Therefore, someone with the last name McCarville is likely to have ancestral ties to this region in Ireland. Assessment of the surname's meaning can provide a deeper understanding of the family's historical background, although it doesn't always reflect the characteristics of individuals bearing the name today.

McCarville: Where does the name McCarville come from?

The surname McCarville is of Irish origin. It directly descends from the Gaelic Mac Cathmhaoil, where "Mac" means son of, and "Cathmhaoil", which composes of elements 'cath' meaning battle and 'maol' meaning chief. Therefore, this surname collectively means "son of the chief in battle".

It was first found in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, where they held a family seat from ancient times. Over time, due to socio-economic factors such as the Great Famine in the mid-19th century and political upheavals, many Irish families emigrated to different parts of the world.

Today, the name McCarville is still relatively common in Northern Ireland. However, it has significantly spread, mainly in English-speaking countries where Irish diaspora settled, such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Particularly in the U.S, descendants of the McCarville family can primarily be found in states such as New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

Variations of the surname McCarville

The surname McCarville is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic name Mac Cearbhaill, meaning "son of Cearbhall", where Cearbhall is a byname meaning "hacking with a weapon".

The surname has several variants and spellings due to derivations, geographical relocations, and anglicization over the centuries. Some of these variations include McCarvill, MacCarville, MacCarvill, MacCarvel, and MacCarvil. The 'Mac' and 'Mc' versions of a surname are often used interchangeably, depending on families and regions. In some cases, the prefix may even be omitted, leading to variations like Carville or Carvill.

In addition, the surname McCarville may have developed into or be mistaken with similar sounding surnames such as McCarvell, McCarrol, or MacCarroll, all of which have similar Gaelic roots.

It's important to note that the exact spelling of surnames often changed over generations, influenced by literacy levels and the transcription skills of clerks and record keepers. As a result, the same family line might carry several variations of the original surname.

Finally, other surnames of the same Gaelic root "Cearbhall" could potentially include O'Carroll, Carroll, and even Garville, but this would require genealogical research to confirm.

Famous people with the name McCarville

• Wes McCarville: Professional snowboarder
• Ashley McCarville: Canadian professional basketball player
• J. P. McCarville: Professional golfer
• Dave McCarville: Canadian ice hockey player
• Pete McCarville: Professional lacrosse player
• Chris McCarville: Professional wake surfer
• Mike McCarville: United States Marine Corps Veteran
• Kim McCarville: American academic
• Jim McCarville: Professional race car driver
• Arthur McCarville: British actor

Other surnames

McCarvill