McKay Surname Meaning & Origin
What the McKay last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the McKay last name
Meaning of the McKay last name: son of Aodh (fire). McKay is a Scottish surname from Gaelic Mac Aoidh, "son of Aodh", an old personal name meaning "fire". Clan Mackay held Strathnaver in the far north of Sutherland. The last name also took hold in Ulster, and emigrants carried it to Canada, Australia and the United States.
Arms associated with the McKay name
In Scottish heraldry, coats of arms associated with the McKay name are personal, each with its own blazon.
Get your full McKay family history
This is only a glimpse of the McKay story. The full McKay history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted McKay coat of arms. Get the full McKay report.
McKay name FAQ
What does the McKay name mean?
Son of Aodh (fire). Common variants include Mackay, MacKay.
Where does the McKay surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a McKay coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized McKay coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).