Scotch-Irish-L Archives

From: "Linda Merle" <>
Subject: More Name Changes
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 09:49:14 -0800

Hi folks, much of "The Book of Ulster Surnames" is abstracted
and in our archives (www.rootsweb.com, scroll to 'Mail Lists"
click on 'Interactive Search", type in Scotch-Irish and
search for your surname.

It's a good gift to give yourself for Christmas.

Here's a 'classic': McCaughey (Caughey, Hackett, MacCaughan, MacGahey, MacGaughey). These are from the
same Irish name, a personal name anglicized to Aghy. You
also find Cahey, MacAghy, and MacCaghey from the same).
Though MacCaughan and MacCahon derive from a different
name, they have become MacCaugheys (plus all the variants).

They are all Ulster names but are from different regions.
MacCaughey and MacCahey are from Tyrone and Antrim. Caughey
is in Down and some in Antrim. MacGahey is Monaghan and Antrim
and MacGaughe in Armagh and Antrim. So the spelling can help
you guess where the family came from. MacCaughan and
MacCahan are from nothern Antrim and Derry but some claim
they were O'Cahons of the Route. (The Route O'Cahons are the
source of some of our Kanes, McKain, O'Kanes, etc though
some are Scots and English in origin). This is why we
drink a lot!!!

Hackett is Englihs but in Ulster in Tyrone and Armagh it
is a synonym for MacCahey and MacGahey. He doesn't tell us
why....Usually he does but here he doesn't. SO that means
a guy could use Hackett or McCahey interchangably. WOuldn't
confuse his neighbors and friends, but could confound the
descendent trying to do genealogy.

The book is full of clues to where precisely your ancestors
came from based on spelling as well as alternative names to
try if you are coming up blank.

Because of the mix of Irish, Scots, English, and Welsh names
(a 'lost' English colony in the late 1500s by Marcher lords)
Ulster is probably the most diverse and complex place to
research surnames, outside of London.

Linda Merle





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