McAuliffe
An Irish surname usually understood as meaning “son of Auliffe,” with Auliffe being an old Gaelic name form.
The #5,996 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 53,854 Americans shares it.
Etymology
McAuliffe is an anglicized Irish surname built on the Gaelic prefix Mac, meaning “son of,” plus Auliffe, a personal name. Auliffe is generally taken as an Irish form of a Norse-derived name related to Óláfr, later shaped by Gaelic and English spelling habits. In plain terms, the name means “son of Auliffe/Olaf,” though the exact historical pathway of the personal name varies by region and family line.
History
The name is chiefly associated with Ireland, especially Munster, and appears in Anglicized forms with Mac-, Mc-, and occasionally other spellings. Like many Irish surnames, it was standardized in several different ways under English administration, which explains the variety of recorded spellings. Historical surname lists from the 19th century record McAuliffe among established Irish family names.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
McAuliffe is one of several Irish surnames whose final shape reflects both Gaelic patronymic tradition and Norse personal-name influence.
From the historical record
“MacArthur, . MacAuley, . MacAuliffe, . MacBrady, . MacBreen, . MacBrennaii, MacBride, . MacBrodin,”
— Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (numerical strength, derivation, distribution)