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Irish surname

MacDevitt: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Mac Daibhéid · 'son of Davet' (a diminutive of David)

Woulfe (1923) gives MacDevitt among the forms of Mac Daibhéid, 'son of Davet' (a diminutive of David), the name of a branch of the O'Dohertys of Inishowen. He says it is numerous in N.W. Ulster, where it is generally anglicised MacDaid and MacDevitt, and is also in use in Co. Mayo, anglicised Davitt. In 1890, Matheson recorded 15 birth entries in Ireland including spelling varieties (13 spelled McDevitt), 14 of them in Ulster.

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Coat of arms associated with the MacDevitt surname
Irish formMac Daibhéid
Meaning'son of Davet' (a diminutive of David)
CountiesDonegal, Mayo
Other spellings11
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MacDevitt crest gifts

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Origin of the MacDevitt name

Woulfe: a branch of the O'Dohertys of Inishowen, who derive their name and descent from David O'Doherty, who fell in battle in 1208; numerous in N.W. Ulster. Also in use in Co. Mayo as Davitt, though Woulfe is 'unable to say' whether the descent is the same.[1]

  1. 1208Woulfe: David O'Doherty, from whom the name derives, fell in battle.[1]
  2. 1601Four Masters: the Clann-Devitt took Cahir, son of John Oge O'Doherty, to the English at Derry.[3]
  3. 189015 birth entries in Ireland including spelling varieties (13 spelled McDevitt); 14 in Ulster.[2]

Where in Ireland

Co. DonegalNamed by Matheson among the counties in which principally found, with Londonderry and Tyrone.[2]
Co. MayoWoulfe: in use in Co. Mayo, anglicised Davitt; he cannot say whether the descent is the same as Inishowen's.[1]

Other spellings

MacDaid · MacDavid · MacDavitt · MacDivitt · Davitt · Devitt · Daid · Dade · M'Daveyd · M'Deyt · McDevitt[1]

The MacDevitt coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the MacDevitt 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.

MacDevitt surname: questions

What does the surname MacDevitt mean?

Woulfe gives it as Mac Daibhéid, 'son of Davet' (a diminutive of David).[1]

Is MacDevitt connected to the O'Dohertys?

Woulfe calls MacDevitt the name of a branch of the O'Dohertys of Inishowen who derive their name and descent from David O'Doherty, who fell in battle in 1208.[1]

Is Davitt the same name as MacDevitt?

Woulfe lists Davitt and Devitt among the forms, and says the name is also in use in Co. Mayo, anglicised Davitt, but he cannot say whether the Mayo family has the same descent as the Inishowen one.[1]

Where in Ireland is the McDevitt name found?

Woulfe says it is numerous in N.W. Ulster. Matheson (1890) names Donegal, Londonderry and Tyrone as the counties in which principally found, and records 15 birth entries in Ireland including spelling varieties (13 spelled McDevitt), 14 of them in Ulster.[1][2]

Sources

  1. Mac Daibhéid — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macd/mac-daibheid.php
  2. McDevitt — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/mcdevitt.php
  3. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1601 (part 13) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005F/text013.html

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