McDevitt
An Anglicized Irish surname meaning “son of David,” with forms that vary between McDavitt, McDavit, and McDevitt.
The #4,768 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 41,582 Americans shares it.
Etymology
McDevitt is an Anglicized form of an Irish patronymic based on the personal name David. The prefix Mac or Mc means “son of,” and the surname was often rendered in English in several spellings, including McDavitt and MacDevitt. The name ultimately points to descent from a man named David, rather than to a separate Irish word of its own.
History
19th-century surname writers treated McDevitt as a variant of McDavitt and explained it simply as “son of David.” In Irish-American records and later census use, McDevitt became the more common standardized spelling, though older forms such as McDavit and MacDevitt also appear. The name is especially associated with Irish families and Irish diaspora communities.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Early surname compilers often grouped McDevitt with other Mc- names simply by sound and spelling, which is one reason historical forms can look surprisingly variable.
From the historical record
“triAC *OAibeix), MacDavid, Mac Davitt, MacDaid, MacDevitt, MacDivitt, Davitt, Devitt, Daid, Dade, etc. in AC *0Aib6i-o, MacCavitt, Mac Kevitt, MacCaet.”
— Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish names and surnames