Clan McKay/McCaa

[The Tartan Sparky]

Hello to anyone from Clan McKay/McCaa! And to all others. Would love to see your kilt fits

[OC Richard]

What I find interesting is how many different ways the Gaelic Mac Aoidh (or Aodh) ended up being Anglicised

MacKay
McCoy
MacHugh
McGee
Magee

Dimly remembered from my brief university Gaelic is the interesting pronunciation of aoi which has no equivalent in English.

[The Tartan Sparky]

What I find interesting is how many different ways the Gaelic Mac Aoidh (or Aodh) ended up being Anglicised

MacKay
McCoy
MacHugh
McGee
Magee

Dimly remembered from my brief university Gaelic is the interesting pronunciation of aoi which has no equivalent in English.

My wife and I were discussing this yesterday. Many Scottish surnames remain the same today. But McKay, or as my branch of the family spells it, McCaa, has so many variants. I also learned this week that McKay in Scotland is pronounced with an “I” sound at the end.

[PiperPadre]

And MacKee. I've got a MacKee ancestor from Lochaber.

[Jock Scot]

And MacKee. I've got a MacKee ancestor from Lochaber.

I hope you don't mind me asking, but, do you know where in Lochaber?

[PiperPadre]

I hope you don't mind me asking, but, do you know where in Lochaber?

I wish I knew.

All I've heard as a child or seen written about my Highland ancestors (in Canadian and American documents) were the place names Inverness, Lochaber, Skye, Glengarry.

[OC Richard]

My wife and I were discussing this yesterday. Many Scottish surnames remain the same today. But McKay, or as my branch of the family spells it, McCaa, has so many variants. I also learned this week that McKay in Scotland is pronounced with an “I” sound at the end.

McCaa is interesting because it doesn't end with the "ee" sound most variants have.

The "Kay" of Scottish MacKay has a diphthong that begins with something like "caw" then glides to "ee" ("caw-ee").

(When you say "i" or "eye" you start with one vowel then glide to another.)

The "Coy" of McCoy also has a diphthong, this time beginning with something like "co" then gliding to "ee" ("co-ee").

As I recall the "aoi" of Gaelic MacAoi is again a diphthong, starting with "uh" then gliding to "ee" ("uh-ee").

I'm not sure if the aoi diphthong occurs in English, I can't think of a word that has it off the top of my head.

[PiperPadre]

I hope you don't mind me asking, but, do you know where in Lochaber?

Although place names were mentioned - sometimes in general terms and often with overlapping of more particular places and their respective regions or districts, I've been able to trace some surnames of ancestors with a few of these: Camerons (Inverness), MacLeods and MacKinnons (Skye), MacLennans, MacKees, MacBains, Stewarts, MacDougalls, Urquharts, Stuarts, Kennedys (Lochaber), (MacDonnells and MacDonalds (Invergarry).

They settled Glengarry County, Ontario and then some moved down to found a Scots community in Northern Wisconsin (Chippewa Falls).

[Jock Scot]

Although place names were mentioned - sometimes in general terms and often with overlapping of more particular places and their respective regions or districts, I've been able to trace some surnames of ancestors with a few of these: Camerons (Inverness), MacLeods and MacKinnons (Skye), MacLennans, MacKees, MacBains, Stewarts, MacDougalls, Urquharts, Stuarts, Kennedys (Lochaber), (MacDonnells and MacDonalds (Invergarry).

They settled Glengarry County, Ontario and then some moved down to found a Scots community in Northern Wisconsin (Chippewa Falls).

The names that you mention above are still about, alive and well in Lochaber, today.