Surname Tegart - Meaning and Origin

Tegart: What does the surname Tegart mean?

The surname Tegart is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "Mac an tSagairt," which translates to "son of the priest." This may suggest historical lineage or occupation of an ancestor who served as a priest in the church. Similar to many other surnames, changes in spelling have occurred over centuries due to migration and phonetic spelling. Variations of the name include Taggart, MacTaggart and others. It is spread around the world due to Irish diaspora but is more commonly found in regions like Northern Ireland and Scotland. Since Catholic priests are traditionally not allowed to marry or have children, the name is likely grounded in the history of Brehon law, an old Irish legal system that was lenient toward marriage rules for priests. This means the Tegarts could be potential descendants of clerical families dating back to ancient Ireland. Remember, the meaning of a surname can vary and only gives a small hint about the family history. More accurate information would require specific genealogical research into the family line.

Tegart: Where does the name Tegart come from?

The last name Tegart is a name from western Europe. It is most commonly found today in the United Kingdom, where it is thought to have originated. The name is of Anglo-Saxon or British origin, and appears to be exclusive to the British Isles. However, there are also numerous records showing that the name Tegart has been found in the United States, Australia, Canada and various European countries, including France, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands.

The name Tegart is believed to derive from either the Old English ‘Teg’, meaning ‘forest’, or the Old Norse ‘teigr’, also meaning ‘forest’. It is possible that the name started out as a location-based surname – someone associated with a particular forest in Britain. However, in more recent times, people with the Tegart surname have moved around and helped settle new lands, including the United States, Australia and Canada.

Today, the name Tegart is most commonly found in the United Kingdom where it was first established, though there remains a strong representation of the name in a number of other countries including the United States, Canada and Australia.

Variations of the surname Tegart

The Tegart family name is of Irish origin, stemming from the Irish Gaelic ‘O Tigheartaigh’, literally translating to ‘descendent of Tighearchtach’. It has several variants and spellings both in Ireland and in other countries in the British Isles.

In Ireland, one of the earliest recorded iterations of the name is ‘Tighegart’, which appeared as early as 1650 in County Antrim. Meanwhile, ‘Tegart’ and ‘Tegerty’ were more commonly recorded in the 18th century, particularly in County Monaghan, while ‘Tegarty’, ‘Teegarty’ and ‘Teegart’ were more widely seen in the 19th century.

In Scotland, the name could be encountered as ‘Tegeders’, ‘Tegorths’ and ‘Tegeds’ in the 15th century. In England, ‘Tegurthe’ and ‘Tegert’ were recorded in the 17th century.

In addition to those mentioned above, other variants of the name include ‘Tigheartach’, ‘Tegard’ and ‘Tighartai’, all of which come from the same origin.

Finally, it is worth noting that only the spellings ‘Tegart’ and ‘Teegart’ are commonly used today. All other variants of the original name may only be encountered infrequently or not at all.

Famous people with the name Tegart

• David Tegart: former Canadian politician from British Columbia who served in the Legislative Assembly from 1991 to 2001.
• Ernest Tegart: third mayor of Clarington, Ontario who served a term from 1956-1957.
• Sydney Tegart: rugby league player from the 1930s who played for Manly-Warringah and the St. George Dragons.
• Tara Tegart Bayno: New Zealand Paralympic athlete who competed in the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.
• Eileen Tegart Davis: Canadian track and field athlete who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics and 1938 British Empire Games.
• Cecil Tegart: British auto racing team owner and president of the British National Sporting Club who was instrumental in pushing for improvements in safety for racers.
• Daniel Tegart: Australian soccer player who competed in the 2016 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
• Gerry Tegart: Canadian auto racing team owner who raced in the CASCAR Super Series from 1998-2004.
• Peter Tegart: Canadian businessman and philanthropist who has endowed several scholarships and educational programs.
• Jonathan Tegart: Australian architect and designer who shares his knowledge and love of architecture on his blog, The Architect's Guide.

Other surnames

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