McGeachie

The surname McGeachie is an Irish surname and a Scottish surname.^[1] In ancient times the family name in Gaelic was Mac or Mag Eachaidh (son of Eachaidh).

Crest = A Leopard Sejant Rampant proper grasping with the fore paws a weaver’s Ell Measure Sable.

Surname origins

MacGeachie, MacGeachy, MacKeachie. From Ir. Mag Eachaidh, an Ulster variant of Mag Eochadha. M'Gachie in Bordland, 1684. Neil M'Gechie in Portadow, Kilchenzie parish, 1686 (Argyll). Robert M'Keachie in Darnow 1711 (Wigtown). MacKeachie, MacEachaidh. Robert M'Keachie in Darnow, 1711 (Wigtown). In 1684 the name appears as McCeachie, McCheachie, McKeachie, McKeachy (and without Mac as Keachy, Cachie, Ceachie, Kaachie, Kachie, Kechie) (Parish).^[2]

MacGahey,^[3] the Irish name Eachaid or Eachadha is also derived from a Gaelic word for horse, and is often used interchangeably in the annals for Eochaid or Eochadha. As Eochaid became anglicized as Oghy, Eachaid became anglicised as Aghy and in Edward MacLysaght's ^[4] write up of MacGahey, he says: Mac Eachaidh.^[5][6] The personal name Eachaidh, anglicized as Aghey, is a variant of the older Eochaidh—Oghy. McGahey is an Ulster name akin to MacCaughey.

According to Patrick Woulfe,^[7] McGahey (with its variant MacGaughy etc.) is Mag Eachaidh in Irish, this being another form of Mag Eochadha, McGahey is definitely an Ulster name. Other surnames that, according to Woulfe, stem from Each are MacGagh (mag eacaro), MacGaugh (mag eacada), MacGeagh (mag eacada).

McCaughan an Anglicized form of the Old Gaelic MacEachain, son of Eachain. An Ulster surname, recorded in the Counties of Antrim, Down, Londonderry and Tyrone. Some families of Mc Caughen changed their name to MacCaughey, itself an Anglicized form of the Ulster name Mac Eachaidh, son of the Horseman ^[8][9][10] or Horse Lord.

The Scots names MacGeachie and MacGeachy are also derived from Mag Eochaidh.

McGachy, McGeachy. An anglicized version of the Gaelic 'Mac Eochaidh'. A surname in both Ulster and Scotland. William McGaheye settled in York, Virginia, in 1653, and Alexander McGeachy, from Argyll, emigrated to America around 1783.^[11]

MacGeachie, McGachen a version of MacEachan, they derive from the Gaelic MacEachann - "son of Hector". traditionally from Hector, second son of Roderick, 3rd of Macdonald of Clanranald .^[12]

Roland MacGahen (del counte de Wiggeton) Wigtown signed the Ragman Rolls of 1291 & 1296 swearing allegiance to King Edward I of England.^[13]

The McGachen's of Dalquhat or Dalwhat - Alexander McQuuichin of Dalquhat was outlawed in 1528.^[14] Pont's Manuscript 1624 ^[15] gives arms for McGachen of Dalquhat as Or a Dexter hand, Gules. Sir James Balfour, 1st Baronet - Lord Lyon King of Arms (1630–1658), McGahan of Dalqwhat Or, a Hand, Gules.^[16] Alexander McGeachie of Dalwhat is mentioned in 1694 kirk session records for Glencairn Dumfriesshire.^[17] According to John Corrie, "the third rivulet on the north side is Dalwhat Water where stands the dwelling place of a linage of the name M'Gachen descendant of one M' Gachen, a private standard-bearer in the Bruce wars, and doth yet continue the name."^[18]

Heraldry

McGeachie Armigers - Personal Banner.

McGeachie Armigers Personal Banner. - Court of the Lord Lyon - Heraldic judge in Scotland. - 28 Oct 2008, vol. 88 folio 30.^[19]

McGeachie Armigers Scottish crest badge. - Court of the Lord Lyon - Heraldic judge in Scotland. - 28 Oct 2008, vol. 88 folio 30.^[19]

Arms = Sable, a Chevron Argent between in chief 2 Gillyflowers each of five petals, and in base a Chrysanthemum of twelve petals Vert fimbriated Or.

Crest = A Leopard Sejant Rampant proper grasping with the fore paws a weaver’s Ell measure Sable.

Motto = Peritia Et Honore.

Pennon = Argent and Sable with the Arms in the hoist and the motto in two lines counterchanged.^[20]

People

• Forster Alleyne McGeachy, Conservative Member of Parliament for Honiton (UK Parliament constituency), in East Devon 1841, & High Sheriff of Hertfordshire 1865.
• George McGeachie,^[21] former English and Scottish footballer played for Dundee from 1956 until 1963 and Darlington from January 1964 until October 1966.
• Eur Ing Andrew McGeachie is a Chartered Engineer specialist within the Oil and Gas industry and started up AMG Engineering Solutions in Scotland.
• Andrew McGeachie, up and coming Scottish actor credited in various titles.
• George McGeachie,^[22] former Scottish footballer played for Dundee from 1977 until 1990. Raith Rovers from 1990 until 1994, then with Stenhousemuir from 1994 to 1997.

McGeachie Armigers - Personal Pennon.

• Henry John Leacock McGeachie ^[23] Military Medal Sergeant, 2nd Battalion The Seaforth Highlanders, 14 September 1943.^[24]
• Hubert Neal McGaughey Jr.^[25] aka Neal McCoy American country music singer.
• Ian David McGeachy,^[26] aka John Martyn (musician) OBE 1948 - 2009. Singer and songwriter, collaborated with artists such as Eric Clapton and Phil Collins.
• Jack McGeachey, a Major League Baseball player.
• Lynne McGeachie, Author of Beatrix Potter's Scotland, The Tale O Peter Kinnen by Beatrix Potter and Lynne McGeachie.
• Meredith McGeachie,^[27] Australian Actress, born in Toowoomba Australia, star of film and television with parts in The L Word, Paradise Falls, Stargate Atlantis and many others.
• Michael "Mick" McGahey, Scottish Mineworkers Leader, National Vice-President of the NUM. Came to prominence during the 1984-1985 miners' strike.
• Neil MacEachen of Howbeg in South Uist, father of Jacques MacDonald - Napoleon's celebrated general and Marshal of France in 1809.

Tartans

Eachaidh Tartan 2008 Registration No 10246.

McGeachie Tartan 2007 Registration No 2883.

• Eachaidh Tartan ^[28] as Registered with The Scottish Register of Tartans, Registration No 10246.
• McGeachie Tartan ^[29] as Registered with The Scottish Register of Tartans, Registration No 2883.
• McGeachie Tartan ^[30] Scottish Tartans Society STWR - Ref No 3240.
• McGeachie Tartan ^[31] Scottish Tartans Authority STA - Ref No 7291.

References

1. surnamedb.com: Surname The Internet Surname Database for McGeachie.
2. Black, George F (1946). The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History. Birlinn, The New York Public Library 1946. p. 495.
3. surnamedb.com: Surname The Internet Surname Database for MacGahey
4. MacLysaght, Edward (1985). Surnames of Ireland. Edward MacLysaght page 117 (Irish Academic Press). ISBN 978-0-7165-2366-6. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
5. surnamedb.com: Surname The Internet Surname Database for McCaughan.
6. surnamedb.com: Surname The Internet Surname Database for McGeachy.
7. Woulfe, Patrick (1923). Irish Names and Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company of Baltimore 1923.
8. "The McCaughans of Scotland and Ireland". Retrieved 2010-01-14.
9. "McEachin Origins.". Retrieved 2010-01-14.
10. "Killarow and The McEachen Family of Kintyre". Retrieved 2010-01-14.
11. Dobson, David (2003). The Scottish Surnames of Colonial America. Genealogical Publishing Co. p. 87.
12. "Names of Clan Donald". Clan Donald USA. Archived from the original on 7 September 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
13. "Ragman Rolls of 1291 & 1296". ElectricScotland.com. Retrieved 2010-01-11.
14. Black, George F (1946). The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History. Birlinn, The New York Public Library 1946. p. 489.
15. "Pont's Manuscript 1624". The Court of The Lord Lyon Edinburgh. Retrieved 2009-08-15.
16. Balfour - Lyon (1630 - 1658), Sir James (1630). List of Scottish Surnames with their arms. p. 46.
17. Kirk Session Records, 1694 (1694). Kirk Session Records for Glencairn Dumfriesshire 1694.
18. Corrie, John (1910). The Annals of an Inland Parish Glencairn Dumfriesshire. Thomas Hunter & Co 1910.
19. "Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland". The Court of The Lord Lyon Edinburgh. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
20. "McGeachie Armigers Personal Pennon". Burke’s Peerage & Gentry International Register of Arms. Retrieved 2010-01-18.
21. "George McGeachie". neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
22. "George McGeachie". neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
23. "Henry J L McGeachie". The National Archives. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
24. "Henry J L McGeachie". Second Supplement to The London Gazzette Friday 10th September 1943. Retrieved 2010-01-12.
25. "The McGaughey Family". The McGaughey Family. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
26. "Ian David McGeachy". Ian David McGeachy, aka John Martyn OBE (London). 2009-01-29. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
27. "Meridith McGeachie Overview". International Movie Database. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
28. "Eachaidh Tartan". The Scottish Register of Tartans. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
29. "McGeachie (Personal) Tartan". The Scottish Register of Tartans. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
30. "McGeachie Tartan". Scottish Tartans World Register. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
31. "McGeachie (Personal) Tartan". Scottish Tartans Authority. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2013.

External links

• McGeachie Genealogy & Family History Website
• McGeachie Surname DNA Project
• McCaughan Family Tree WEB site (DNA project)
• McGaughey/McGaha Y-DNA Study