Surname McCorkell - Meaning and Origin
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McCorkell: What does the surname McCorkell mean?
The surname McCorkell is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name 'MacCorcadail'. The 'Mac' part means 'son of', while 'Corcadail' is likely a personal name but its meaning is unclear. Over time, the spelling has changed due to translations between Gaelic and English. Like many Irish surnames, McCorkell could have originally signified kinship or paternal lineage within a certain family or clan. Also, it might have been used for distinguishing individuals with the same first name. However, there is limited concrete detailed historical record about the specific meaning of 'Corcadail'. Please note surnames could have different meanings in other cultures or regions. It should also be stated that surnames have morphed and evolved over periods of time, and their present spelling and form might significantly differ from their original versions. Hence, any modern interpretation might not accurately reflect the original meaning or concept a particular name was intended to convey. Thus, while the surname McCorkell does signify an Irish background and a connection to the lineage of the 'MacCorcadail' family, its precise original meaning remains unclear.
Order DNA origin analysisMcCorkell: Where does the name McCorkell come from?
The surname McCorkell is of Irish origin. It originated from the Gaelic Mac Torcaill, meaning "son of Torcall." Torcall is an old personal name, composed of the elements "tor," meaning boar, and "ceall," meaning church.
The family was first found in Donegal, in the northwest of Ireland, where they held a family seat from ancient times. They were one of the principal Irish families, known as the Lords of the Isles of Donegal, with their territory stretching from Inishowen to Errigal.
Today, McCorkell is not a very common surname. While it can still be found in Ireland, particularly in the areas of its origin like County Donegal, it has also spread to other English-speaking countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia due to historical emigration. However, even in these countries, it is less common compared to many other surnames. The exact numeric distribution of the McCorkell surname worldwide today is not easy to determine but it's generally agreed upon that the highest concentration remains in Ireland.
Variations of the surname McCorkell
McCorkell is an Irish surname originating from the Gaelic name MacThoirdealbhaigh. Variants of this surname mainly include different spelling modifications, likely due to the phonetic transcriptions when translating the name from Gaelic to English. Some of these alternate spellings are McCorkle, McCorkel, McCorkill and McCorkil.
McCorkell can also be linked to other similarly derived surnames, ones that are formed from the same root but perhaps slightly varied in pronunciation. These might include MacCorkill, McCorkle, MacCorkle, McCurkel and MacCorkle.
In the Scottish variant, the name can be found as McCorkindale which is a habitational name from a place in Argyle named from the Gaelic MacCorcadail.
It should be noted that while deriving from the same root name, the differing variants and spellings may have developed independently in various regions, leading to unique histories and distribution patterns for each.
As surnames can be greatly influenced by regional dialects and phonetics, the exact spelling can greatly vary even within the same geographical area. As such, it is simply an indication of a shared origin.
Famous people with the name McCorkell
- Terence McCorkell: a Canadian actor, director, and writer best known for the series Blindspot.
- Connor McCorkell: an Irish professional poker player.
- David McCorkell: an English cricketer who plays for the Essex County Cricket Club.
- Rebecca McCorkell: a British actress best known for roles in The Iron Lady and The Inbetweeners Movie.
- John McCorkell: a South African cricketer who represented his country in the 2011 World Cup.
- Bob McCorkell: a Canadian bobsledder who competed in both the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympic Games.
- Paul McCorkell: a British journalist and television presenter best known for the BBC's Countryfile.
- Duncan McCorkell: a Scottish rugby union player who plays for the Glasgow Warriors.
- Chris McCorkell: an American voice actor and musician best known for his roles in Transformers, The Simpsons, and Xavier: Renegade Angel.
- Gerard McCorkell: a Northern Irish television presenter and radio host best known for hosting the BBC show KISS FM.