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MacAodha.... McGee, Magee, McGhee - the meaning of the name. |
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Irish Links .. The name Magee and its variants McGee, MacGee etc. come from the Gaelic Mac or Mag Aodha,- Aodha meaning fire. The form Magee reflects the pronunciation of Ulster and Scottish Gaelic,with Ulster being the area where the name is most common. The varient of the name can be of Irish or Scottish origin.The name is plentiful in Co.Antrim, Co.Armagh and Co.Down (East Ulster) and also in Donegal,Tyrone and Fermanagh, where they descend from Aodh, great grandson of Donn Carrach Maguire, the first Maguire ruler of that region. According to research the Magee's/McGee's are concentrated around Crumlin in Co.Antrim and Lecale in Co.Down. and from the same source 'there were MacGee's recorded as Muintear Mhaoil Ghaoithe, an important ruling sept? in medieval Tirconnell'.The islandmagee was once the seat of the Magees, a prominent Irish Gaelic sept? In Co.Cavan, Magee has become Wynne/Wynn because of the Gee-ending which sounds like the Gaelic 'Gaoithe' meaning wind.
Scottish Links .. The remainder of the Ulster Magee's/McGee's are descended from settlers from Scotland who in the seventeenth century came to the province at the time of 'plantation'. Many variations of the name are found in south-west Scotland, the surname is most common in Dumfries and in Galloway.one of the first names recorded was in Dumfries in 1296,the name is also akin to MacDonald, MacHugh and MacKee.
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