Surname McGarragh - Meaning and Origin

McGarragh: What does the surname McGarragh mean?

The last name McGarragh is of Irish origin. However, it seems to be a derivation or a misspelled version of several similar Irish surnames like McGarr, McGarry, or McGarrigle. The exact meaning of McGarragh is not readily available in traditional genealogical or surname sources, suggesting it might be a unique or less common variant.

Many Irish surnames have specific meanings. Generally, the prefix 'Mc' in Irish names means 'son of'. The suffix, in this case 'Garragh', could be derived from 'Garraí' which means 'garden' or 'Garrchon' meaning 'scold'. But this is just speculation; the true meaning would depend on the specific lineage of the name. It's also important to remember that spellings of surnames have often changed over time and can vary based on phonetic interpretations. Therefore, to trace the meaning of the name accurately, one would need to look at its etymological history.

McGarragh: Where does the name McGarragh come from?

The last name McGarragh is most commonly found today in Ireland. It is most likely an Irish patronymic surname, which are names derived from the name of the father. It originated a few centuries ago in a number of locations, including counties Londonderry and Fermanagh.

Today, the name McGarragh can be found in reasonable numbers in Northern Ireland, especially in counties Londonderry and Fermanagh, which is where it originated. It is also present throughout the Republic of Ireland, with clusters especially in areas such as Derry City, Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo and Galway.

McGarragh is a fairly uncommon name, but there are still a number of places outside of Ireland where it can be found. In the United Kingdom there are small numbers of the McGarragh name in England, Scotland and Wales, and there are smaller numbers in Canada, United States, Australia and New Zealand.

The last name McGarragh is a reminder of the Irish descendants and their heritage in the countries that adopted them. It is likely to remain a surname of Irish origin, with its roots still firmly entangled in its homeland.

Variations of the surname McGarragh

The surname McGarragh has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These include MacGarrach, MacGarrech, MacGareg, McGarrach, MacGuragh, Magarragh, McGarrigh, McGeeragh, and MacGargach.

The surname originated from the Irish Gaelic MacGairbhith, which means ‘son of Garrach’. The root of the name Garrach is derived from the Old Irish word garb, which can mean ‘rough-born’ and could refer to the rugged landscape of County Monaghan in northern Ireland where the name mainly originates.

In Scotland, the spelling has also been Anglicised to MacGorry or MacGorrie. In England, the acceptable spellings are Magarragh and McGarrie. In the United States, McGarragh is commonly seen.

Throughout the centuries, other spellings have evolved from the same root. For example, O’Garagh, Garaghy, Gargy, McGarrity, and Garges.

Variants of the same origin include Magarrah, McGarach, MacGarich, MacGarrigh, MacGaraugh, and of course McGarragh.

The most well-known bearers of the surname include the Irish singer/songwriter Paul McGarragh, the musicians Arthur and James McGarragh, the Irish-American actor/writer/director Sean McGarragh, and the Irish politician P.J. McGarragh.

Famous people with the name McGarragh

• Noalani McGarragh: Former Miss Hawaii USA (2007)
• B.J. McGarragh: Former National Baseball League Outfielder
• Ronan McGarragh: Irish Footballer
• Mike McGarragh: New Zealand Soccer Player
• Christopher McGarragh: Canadian Actor
• Molly McGarragh: American Actress
• Terence McGarragh: Irish Senator
• Justin McGarragh: American Comedian
• Paul McGarragh: Irish Film Producer and Director
• Matthew McGarragh: British Cartoonist, Children's Author and Illustrator
• Carri McGarragh: Singer, Songwriter and Author
• Kari McGarragh: Australian Rugby Player
• Mark McGarragh: Former American Swimmer
• Nick McGarragh: American Actor and Singer
• Vivien McGarragh: British Actress
• Conleth McGarragh: Irish Poet
• Larry McGarragh: American Football Coach
• Lola McGarragh: Australian Country Music Singer
• Sean McGarragh: Irish comedian
• Heather McGarragh: British Acclaimed Veteran Performer and Actress

Other surnames

McGarraMcGarraty