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Irish surname

McArdle: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Mac Árdghail · 'son of Árdghal' (high valour)

McArdle comes from the Irish Mac Árdghail, 'son of Árdghal'. Woulfe calls it 'a well-known South Ulster surname' and thinks the family is probably a branch of the MacMahons. In 1890 nearly all McArdle births were registered in Louth, Monaghan and Armagh.

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Coat of arms associated with the McArdle surname
Irish formMac Árdghail
Meaning'son of Árdghal' (high valour)
CountiesLouth, Monaghan, Armagh
Other spellings6

Origin of the McArdle name

Woulfe calls Mac Árdghail 'a well-known South Ulster surname' and adds: 'The family is probably a branch of the MacMahons.'[1]

  1. 1889Dorothy Macardle born in Dundalk, County Louth.[3]
  2. 1890Birth indexes: 55 births, nearly all in Louth, Monaghan and Armagh.[2]
  3. 1937Dorothy Macardle publishes The Irish Republic, her history of 1916–1923.[3][4]

Where in Ireland

Co. LouthOne of three counties holding nearly all McArdle births in the 1890 indexes.[2]
Co. MonaghanOne of three counties holding nearly all McArdle births in the 1890 indexes.[2]
Co. ArmaghOne of three counties holding nearly all McArdle births in the 1890 indexes.[2]

Notable people named McArdle

Dorothy Macardle1889–1958Dundalk-born writer and republican; author of The Irish Republic (1937), with a preface by de Valera.[3][4]

Other spellings

MacArdle · MacArdel · MacCardle · Cardie · Cardell · Cardwell[1]

The McArdle coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the McArdle surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

McArdle crest gifts

Clan Mcardle Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapUF47 Classic Cap - Mcardle Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Mcardle Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Mcardle Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap DB37 Mcardle Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Mcardle Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00

McArdle surname: questions

What does McArdle mean?

McArdle is from the Irish Mac Árdghail, which Woulfe glosses as 'son of Árdghal' (high valour).[1]

Where in Ireland is McArdle from?

Woulfe calls it a well-known South Ulster surname. In 1890 nearly all McArdle births were in Louth, Monaghan and Armagh.[1][2]

Are the McArdles related to the MacMahons?

Woulfe says the family is 'probably a branch of the MacMahons' — a probability, not a proven descent.[1]

What are other spellings of McArdle?

Woulfe lists MacArdel, MacArdle, MacCardle, Cardie, Cardell and Cardwell as anglicised forms of Mac Árdghail.[1]

Sources

  1. Mac Árdghail – Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), Library Ireland. libraryireland.com/names/maca/mac-ardghail.php
  2. McArdle – Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909; 1890 birth indexes), Library Ireland. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/mcardle.php
  3. Dorothy Macardle (1889-1958): republican and internationalist (Nadia Clare Smith), History Ireland. historyireland.com/dorothy-macardle-1889-1958-republican-and-intern...
  4. Dorothy Macardle – Life, Ricorso (Irish literature database). ricorso.net/rx/az-data/authors/m/Macardle_D/life.htm

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).