McGhee
A Scottish and Irish surname that usually comes from a Gaelic Mac- name meaning “son of Ghee/Giolla,” with several related spellings such as Magee and MacGhie.
The #1,529 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 13,160 Americans shares it.
Etymology
McGhee is generally treated as an anglicized form of Gaelic Mac names, especially forms related to MacGee, MacGhie, and Magee. The first element is Gaelic mac, meaning “son of,” while the second element is a personal name or byname that has been rendered in English in several different ways. Because the historical spellings vary so much, the exact original Gaelic source can differ by family line and region.
History
The surname appears in both Scotland and Ireland, and its spellings have long overlapped with Magee, MacGee, MacGhie, Gee, and related forms. In historical records, these forms were often used interchangeably or shifted under English spelling habits. As with many Gaelic surnames, different branches of the name may have separate local origins even when they now look the same in English.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The spelling can look very English today, but it often hides a much older Gaelic patronymic that was reshaped by centuries of anglicization.
From the historical record
“niA5 Ao-DA, niA5 -^5^01-6, Magee, MacGee, MacGhee, MacGhie, Ghee, Gee. triAj^ Aonjuip, rriAS -Aor.stjfA, Maguiness, Maguinness, Ma-”
— Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish names and surnames