McGintys in the World
The surname McGinty is Scottish and derives from an ancient Celtic family. According to Surnames in Ireland by Sir Robert E. Matheson, McGinty is a derivative of the name McGinity. Other variations of this name were Maginty, MacGinty, McGinty, Ginty, Ginity, O'Ginty, Genty, MacGenty, Maginnetty, M’Entee, M’Ginety, M’Ginnety and McGinnitty. The name originates from Mag Fhinneachta, which means “Son of Fair Snow” in Celtic. First found in county Derry where they held a family seat from very ancient times, enjoying a common heritage with the O'Cahans and the O'Neills.
First found in county Derry where they held a family seat from very ancient times, enjoying a common heritage with the O'Cahans and the O'Neills.Two separate authorities, Patrick Woulfe and Edward MacLysaght, who are publishers of Scotch/Irish research, have confirmed this meaning of our name. M'Ginty is also an old Irish name, stamped with the seal of the real bluebloods. Its ancient form was Inty, which means "well-born." So the family were of the purple, the well-born McGinty, or M'Intys, for the founder of the line, or clan, was Irial, son of Conal Cearnach, the Warrior. Conal Cearnach is one of the greatest of ancient Eire's heroes and there are many tales of his prowess and keen leadership. He was one of the great realities of Ireland, whose name, and deeds, have been passed won; not merely for generations, but for many centuries.
Possessions of the M'Ginty family were in what is now County Donegal, Ireland in olden times best known as Tirconaill, or Tir-connell, the land of Conaill. This territory was not named after Conal Cearnach, or Kearnach, but after Conall Gulban, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, King of Ireland. Conall Vernaugh, son of Amergin, was fourth in degree of Rory O'More, who gave his name to the tribe of Ulster in the year of 87 B.C.
Numbers of the M'Ginty family are known as McEntee, and M'Entee; some as M'Inty, which is like the ancient name. In some sections of Donegal, and in several sections of Eastern Ulster, descendants of this clan changed their name to Tinney. "By Tinney" is a form of M'Attiny, which comes from MacAnt- Sionn - aigh, of Sionagh, and this name has been anglicized into "Fox"; sionagh means a fox. The Scotch-Irish McGinty Family We find in Black's "Surnames of Scotland" that the root word "innes" is of territorial origin in Scotland. Up the Northeastern shore of Scotland is the large Firth or Moray, or inlet. In the reign of King Malcolm IV a Fleming named Bero Wold got a charter for the Islands of Ineeas, or Easter ur que hart. in the province of Elgin. The Gaelic names means "Island"; as a stream in the province formed two branches around the island. This grant of land was chartered in Latin in 1225, or 1226, to Walter de Ineys, and the barony of the same name was in Morey parish, part of the mainland and part on the island. We find a Wm^ de Inays swearing fealty at Aberdeen in 1296, and giving his seal as a star with six points. In 1685 we find a branch of the family in Caithness Innice.
The names "McGinnes" in Galloway is a variant of MaCinnes, son of Innes. It is a side form of Patrick McCinnis in Baedian Mylne in 1669. Around Glasgow it is probably a modern Irish name and spelled as "MacGinty." This is the first time the name is spelled as we spell it today; and this was found in Scotland, though the family had gone to Ireland in the beginning of 1600 when the English and Scottish settlers were given great plantations in Ulster by the King of England, who was trying to settle the Northern part of Ireland. In Ulster the name was spelled in various ways, even down to the exodus to America, which began before 1700. In the Valley of Virginia it is very hard to trace the line, because these "sons of Ennis" were all sons, or "macs," and not being able to read nor write, the last part of the named was spelled as it sounded to the clerk who wrote down the land record.
The Presbyterian Historical Society of Northern Ireland has given us the first record of the name in Londonderry, in 1663 in the Camus Parish in Colerain Barony. James McGinnaghtie bought "one hearth" (or home) from the Hearth Money Roll Company. We also learn that the McGinty family grew from a tribe of clan in County Donegal which was a part of Northern Ireland in the early settlement. At first they had no given names, they just called themselves "mac" with the clan name of Innes, spelled in various ways, then they began to take the Scottish names of John, James, Robert, and Alexander from the Bible.
They were all of the Presbyterian faith, which they brought with them from Scotland.
Information above taken from http://www.jcsisle.com/mcginty.html
The surname of McGinty has a patronymical origin meaning the son of Fionnachta (fair snow). Different spelling variations of the original name are a common occurrence. Language changes, carelessness, and a high degree of illiteracy (sometimes the bearer did not know how to spell his own name), compounded the number of ways a name might be spelled. Often times the town clerk or immigration official spelled the name the way it sounded to him.
WHAT IS IN THE NAME
During the Middle Ages, people were referred to by a single name. But gradually the custom of adding another name or "surname" as a way to distinguish individuals became widespread. Historians believe that surnames derived from four sources; Occupational, Locational, Patronymic (father^s name) or Characteristic.
The surname of: McGinty
Origin of surname: patronymica
Ethnicity of surname: Irish
Meaning of surname: the son of Fionnachta (fair snow)
Different spelling variations of the original name are common occurrence, so don^t be surprised to find a large number of McGinty relatives using a surname variation. Language changes, carelessness, and a high degree of illiteracy (sometimes the bearer did not know how to spell his own name), compounded the number of ways a name might be spelled. Often times the town clerk or immigration official spelled the name the way it sounded to him.
Common surname variations: McGinity, MacGinty and McGintie
Where other McGintys live in the world
USA 2,200
Canada 149
Germany 1
South Africa 3
Great Britain 1,467
North Ireland 63
Ireland 185
Australia 276
New Zealand 27
Immigration has played an important part of history of surnames
The individuals who left their homes for life in the New World were undoubtedly courageous. The first of record was Mary McGinty arriving in the Port of New York in the year 1823. Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were: George and James McGinnity who settled in Philadelphia Pa. in 1850 and 1842 respectively; Bernard, Charles, Daniel, Edward, George, James, John, Matthew, Michael, Owen, Patrick, Samuel, Thomas, and Timothy McGinty who settled in Philadelphia between 1846 and 1866
