I don't know how many people actually know what they are saying when they talk about O this and Mc that. Mc means son of, so, say somebodys name is McConnell. That particular person is son of Connell. and O means from as in O'Connor means from Connor. Just thought I would check out and see how many people knew that already.
2007-03-17 08:55:00 · 15 answers · asked by Reagan O 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ St. Patrick's Day
And is it also true that Mc is Irish whereas Mac is scottish?
McDonald vs MacDonald for example
2007-03-17 09:02:30 · answer #1 · answered by Sweet n Sour 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
top o' the day to you!! I am half Irish and I did know that O' and Mc preceding a surname implies family membership. I am also one-quarter Norwegian, where names such as Hanson implies "son of Hans" and Peterson means "son of Peter" Some surnames also imply placenames- for instance "Fjeld" means mountain, so anyone with part of that surname likely had family in a mountainous part of Norway. I'm sure the same stands for Irish surnames as well. My mothers maiden name was "Malone" Not sure of the origin, other than it's Irish.
2007-03-17 16:02:51 · answer #2 · answered by kisstheboys 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
In Scotland it's usually Mac instead of Mc, and there's no equal for O, which is nothing else than of.
To "kisstheboys": I cannot tell you the meaning of "Malone", but "Molly Malone" is a famous Irish folk song about a woman who crosses Dublin with her cart "crying cockles and mussles alive, alive, oh!"
2007-03-17 16:08:34 · answer #3 · answered by corleone 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ya I no it.
Its from Norman times when you were prided by who your father or fore-fathers were!
Think of all the names that come after Mc, there all first names aswell, or at least used to be!
2007-03-17 17:29:35 · answer #4 · answered by Ripsrod 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i didn't know that...my grandmother was a collins, i thought she was irish, but she was actually scotch-irish as there are no true scots left in scotland...something to do with all the scots getting massacred by the irish back in the 15, 16th century. so now all scots are actually scotch-irish....this irish guy at work told me this...
2007-03-17 16:42:10 · answer #5 · answered by busterbluesun 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My family is Boyle, There was an place in County Donegal called Boyle's Tavern....
2007-03-17 17:32:33 · answer #6 · answered by butt_out 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not sure, but I think if Mc or Mac is the before your name you are Scottish not Irish. Drink Twice!
2007-03-17 16:16:52 · answer #7 · answered by jed 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
i didn't know that. but then again, i'm not irish. i wonder if my friend knows that...her last name is McArthur. she's not irish either. happy st. patrick's day!
2007-03-17 16:14:45 · answer #8 · answered by Nag Champa 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I knew that but I'm Irish so...lol :D
2007-03-17 17:41:26 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
not sure how many know but for your curiousity i did know this already,happy st patricks day and god bless.
2007-03-17 15:59:15 · answer #10 · answered by fenian1916 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋