Surname McCormack - Meaning and Origin
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Unveiling the Ancestry of the McCormacks: A Personal Journey through iGENEA DNA Analysis
I embarked on a journey into my familial origins with iGENEA DNA analysis. Discovering the Celtic roots and profound history of my surname – McCormack, expanded my understanding of my genetic and familial legacy as well as deeper appreciation for my ancestors' resilience.
K. McCormack
read moreMcCormack: What does the surname McCormack mean?
The surname McCormack is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic name "Mac Cormaic" which literally translates to "son of Cormac." The name Cormac itself is composed of two elements: "corb" meaning "charioteer" and "mac" meaning "son.” Therefore, McCormack could also translate to “son of the charioteer”. It was generally used to denote lineage, indicating that the person was a descendant of Cormac. Over time it has evolved into its current form, with various spellings including McCormick, Cormack, and others. Like many Irish surnames, it spread throughout the world through emigration, particularly during the Great Famine in the mid-19th century when many Irish people migrated to North America, Australia, and other regions.
Order DNA origin analysisMcCormack: Where does the name McCormack come from?
The last name McCormack is of Irish origin. The name is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Cormaic" which means "son of Cormac" with Cormac itself meaning "raven" or "wheel" (interpreted as charioteer). Cormac mac Airt, a famous High King of Ireland, is a well-known bearer of the given name Cormac. The McCormack family originally lived in the county of Fermanagh in Ireland.
Today, the surname McCormack maintains its heaviest prevalence in Ireland, particularly in and around the counties of Fermanagh, Further afield, the dispersion of the Irish diaspora has seen the surname become common in a number of English-speaking countries, particularly the United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Despite its widespread dispersion, it is most typically associated with populations of Irish descent. It ranks as the 2,624th most common surname in the world. Additionally, there are several variations of the name which can affect the distribution, such as McCormick, Cormack, and MacCormack.
Variations of the surname McCormack
The surname McCormack has numerous variants, alternate spellings and similar surnames. The reason for these variations is due to anglicization from the original Gaelic form during different periods and in different regions, as well as due to phonetic transcriptions, regional accents, or errors in record transcription.
The original Gaelic form of the name is "Mac Cormaic", which translates to "son of Cormack". Therefore, variants of the surname often retain the "Mac" or "Mc" prefix, indicating "son of", followed by a variation of "Cormack".
Various spellings and variations include McCormick, MacCormack, McCormack, McCormic, MacCormick, McCarmick, McCormacke, and MacCormac. Similarly, the phonetic similarity of the name to other names has resulted in further variations like Carmack and Cormack.
In some cases, the "Mac" or "Mc" prefix might be dropped, resulting in variations like Cormack, Cormick, Cormac, or Kormack. It's also common to find versions where the "Mac" or "Mc" is still present but the suffix varies, such as MacCormick, Mccormack, Mackormack, and Maccormack.
There may also be less common variants out there, as surnames can sometimes change considerably over time and across different regions.
Famous people with the name McCormack
- Eric McCormack: He is an Emmy-winning Canadian-American actor best known for his role as Will Truman in the American sitcom, "Will & Grace."
- Mary McCormack: An American actress who has appeared in films like "1408" and TV shows such as "The West Wing" and "In Plain Sight."
- Will McCormack: Emmy-nominated actor and writer often associated with the sitcom "Will & Grace."
- David McCormack: A prominent Australian musician and member of the rock band "Custard."
- Dylan McCormack: A known basketball player who plays for Northeastern University in the United States.
- Robyn McCormack: An Australian actress who has starred in popular Australian TV shows such as "Blue Heelers."
- Neal H. McCormick: A United States Representative from Pennsylvania.
- Jill McCormick: A renowned American model and wife of Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Eddie Vedder.
- Maureen McCormick: A popular American actress, recording artist, and author, best known for her role as Marcia Brady on "The Brady Bunch."
- Tom McCormack: A famous Irish footballer who played for teams such as Shelbourne and Sportul Studenţesc.
- Danny McCormack: British bassist and a member of the Wildhearts.