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From:
Subject: Re: [S-I] Griffiths Valuation McDavitt
Date: Thu, 03 May 2007 15:48:22 +0000


Hi Sue, here's what Bell "Book of Ulster Surnames" says about the su rname. (I forgot to say 'do surname research' in earlier post).

p. 151. McDaid and MacDevitt/McDavitt are Ulster surnames. McDaid is found largely in Donegal. The rest are Derry and Tyrone. MacKevitt is a variant in Louth, Monaghan and Down.

McDaid is both Irish and Scots. Only a few are of Scots origins. Most will be from a Donegal sept,
branch of the O'Doherties. The surname means son of David and was anglicized to Davey, Davis, Davison, Davitt, Devitt, MacDaid, MacDavitt, and MacDevitt). In Oriel (think Down), there was
the name Mac Dhaibheid. The h after the D caused lenition so it was Mc'evitt or McKevitt.

So most likely your ancestors were native Irish, but it is possible they were Scots. A DNA test would tell you. You need a male as the Y chromo is tested and you don't have one. If you did a lot of
DNA research and others did to from this area, you may be able to determine a branch of the
Donegal sept. I know they're doing work on these O'Doherties now. The septs are all interrelated.
It takes 67 markers or more to begin to sort them out. We're talking $400 or so, but you can do a 37 marker and then upgrade if you need to. If it turns out Scottish DNA you can then go do Scottish genealogy. In any case you can research the origins of early settlers to see if any were known to
bear this surname and where they came from in Scotland. At that place you'll find close matches.

Linda Merle

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