The Significance of the "Mc-" Patronymic in Scottish and Irish Surnames

The prefix "Mc-" is a Scottish and Irish patronymic prefix meaning "son of". It is derived from the Gaelic word "mac", which means "son".

For example, the name "McDonald" is derived from the Gaelic "MacDonnachaidh", which means "son of Duncan". Similarly, the name "McKenzie" is derived from the Gaelic "MacCoinnich", which means "son of Coinneach".

The use of the prefix "Mc-" as a patronymic is common in Scottish and Irish surnames, and it is often used to indicate that the bearer of the name is a son of someone with the given name.

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