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Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • Scottish and northern Irish : Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Dhubhghaill (see McDowell).
  • Scottish and northern Irish : Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Gille Chomhghaill (Scottish), Mac Giolla Comhghaill ‘son of the servant of (Saint) Comhghall’, a personal name, possibly an intensive of gall ‘stranger’, borne by an early Irish saint.
  • Irish : possibly an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Cumhaill ‘son of Cumhall’, a byname meaning ‘champion’. Fionn Mac Cumhaill is the name of a famous hero in traditional Irish literature.

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