McAdams
A surname meaning “son or descendants of Adam,” with the familiar Mc/Mac prefix added to the given name Adam.
The #3,122 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 26,738 Americans shares it.
Etymology
McAdams is a patronymic surname built on the personal name Adam, with the Gaelic prefix Mac meaning “son of” or more loosely “descendant of.” In older records the name appears in several spellings, including Mac Cadam, Mac Caddam, Macadam, and Adams, showing that it developed in both Gaelic and anglicized forms. The core sense is straightforward: “son of Adam.”
History
The surname is found in Scottish and Irish records, and the excerpts show it alongside other Adam-based forms such as Macadam and Adams. One excerpt also notes a branch of the Macadams of Blackwater in County Clare, said to have come from Galloway in Scotland, which fits the broader pattern of Scottish Gaelic surnames established in Ireland. Modern McAdams is especially common in English-speaking countries, where the spelling with Mc reflects later anglicized standardization.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Historical sources record the name in both Mac- and Adams-style forms, showing how one family line could generate several spellings over time.
From the historical record
“early in the XVI. ceuturj', from Macgregor to Macadam, in consequence of political troubles. I3.L.G. The Macadams of Blackwater, co. Clare, who settled iu Ireland temp. Jas. I., from Galloway iu Scotland, were formerly called j\I'Cullum. Ibid.”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom