Actually, uniformity in spelling is a relatively recent invention. I am told Shakespeare spelled his name over 2 dozen different ways at various times. Add in the rather sketchy level of literacy of the masses in most historical times, and minor differences in spelling become essentially useless for distinguishing between such closely related groups. Heck, my great grandfather, from letters I have seen, sometimes spelled our family name Whithnell, and sometimes Withnel.

Quote Originally Posted by be da veva View Post
Actually I've been told that Mc is irish and Mac is scottish. And to make matters worse, every Mc someone I met was irish every Mac somebodyelse was scot.... Hence the irish being calles Mics or Mikeys in a derogotary (sp?) way...