Surname McCarral - Meaning and Origin
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McCarral: What does the surname McCarral mean?
The surname McCarral is of Scottish origin and is believed to have come from the names MacGhille Mhicheil, which is Gaelic (Gaelic is the native language spoken in the Highlands of Scotland) for the son of Michael. It was derived from the personal name Micheil, which is the Scottish form of the English Michael, itself derived from the Hebrew name מִיכָאֵל, or Mikha'el meaning “who is like God?”
McCarral is a sept, or branch, of the major Scottish Clan Macpherson. The relations of Clan Macpherson are numerous, and McCarral is one branch of the larger Macpherson family tree. It is believed that the name McCarral was adapted from the Gaelic Mac gharraill, meaning “son of the brave one” which is very consistent with the heroic nature of its Clan Macpherson ancestors.
McCarral is also an Irish surname, best known in Ulster. It is derived from the Irish language Mag Carrail meaning ‘son of Carrall’, and may have originally stemmed from Carrall, the old Irish name for a person of dark or black complexion. It is still a common surname in Irish counties especially along the north coast. It is also popular in Scotland.
The McCarral surname is found throughout Scotland, Ireland, and North America where many have migrated. The crest badge used to represent the name is a fiery lion rampant and has the words “A Finem Fidele” which in English means “faithful to the end”. This demonstrates the brave and loyal nature that those with this surname strive to embody.
Order DNA origin analysisMcCarral: Where does the name McCarral come from?
The last name McCarral is not particularly common today, however, it is believed to have originated in Scotland. It is also found in Ireland and possibly in Australia.
In Scotland, the McCarral’s are mainly concentrated in the orphan counties of Perth and Kinross, with a scattering of records in other parts of the country.
McCarral is also a surname found in Ireland, where it is thought to be a variant of McCarroll, and possibly an anglicized form of the Irish names Mac an Chomhraí.
In Australia, the surname McCarral is relatively rare, however, it can be found in some regions such as New South Wales and Queensland as well as other parts of the country.
Most McCarral families today are spread around the world. They reside in countries such as Australia and the United States. There is also a considerable number of people with this last name who live in the UK.
Overall, the McCarral name is not particularly common considering its roots, but it has spread around the world over the years. It still exists in many countries today.
Variations of the surname McCarral
The surname McCarral is an anglicized version of the Irish surname Mac Cathmhaoil. Other variants of the name include MacCarroll, McCarroll, Ó Caorghail, Ó Cathmhaoil, Cathmhaoil, Cahmhaoil, and MacCawhill.
McCarral is a derivation of a Gaelic surname and is still mainly found in Ireland. Examples of different spellings of Mac Cathmhaoil include McArral, MacCawell, McAwell, MacCowell, McAwell, MacAwell, Mackewell, MacKwell, and McCaell.
In certain regions, the spelling of Mac Cathmhaoil changes depending on the dialect. Mac Carrall is common in some parts of Ireland, in Scotland it is spelled Mac Creelo while some anglicised spellings may be Mac Crally or Cathmoel.
The surname is derived from a combination of the Gaelic words catha, meaning ‘battle-axe’, and fael, meaning ‘chief’ or ‘prince’. Thus the literal translation of Mac Cathmhaoil is ‘son of the battle-axe chief’. The surname has been found to originate from a sept of the Uí Niall, a sept of the Cenél Eógain in Donegal.
Anglicised forms of Mac Cathmhaoil have been commonly found in the United States, particularly among communities with Irish ancestry. In some cases, the surname McCarral has been found to sound more like McCarroll due to h-dropping and assimilation of the vowel sounds.
The surname McCarral has been found to be most popular in Ireland and Scotland, with smaller populations of the surname found in countries like Canada, the United States, and Australia.
Famous people with the name McCarral
- Angus McCarral: Scottish actor best known for his roles in films such as "Boys from the Blackstuff" and "The Last Hurrah".
- Patrick McCarral: Canadian professional golfer and member of the PGA of Canada.
- Don McCarral: American race car driver who competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
- Diana McCarral: American journalist and correspondent for CBS News.
- Ian McCarral: Scottish actor and comedian, best known for his stand-up routines and roles in television series such as Blackadder.
- Greg McCarral: British-born rock guitarist, best known for his collaborations with artists such as Oasis, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.
- Emily McCarral: American actress seen in films such as "Big Daddy" and "Road Trip".
- Cameron McCarral: Scottish tennis player with a current ranking in the top 100.
- Goodie McCarral: South African rock musician, known for his contribution to albums such as Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’.
- Megan McCarral: Irish television presenter and author of children’s books.