Macaulay, McAuley, MacAuley, and Macauley are Scottish and Irish
surnames. There are several
etymological origins for the names: all of which originated as
patronyms in
Gaelic languages—
Irish and
Scottish Gaelic. Although these English-language (Anglicized) forms of the surnames are ultimately derived from Gaelic patronyms, they do not refer to the actual name of the bearer's father. The surname is quite common in
Ireland, particularly in
Ulster.
In other cases, the surnames are derived from the Scottish Gaelic MacAmhlaibh or MacAmhlaidh,[3] or the Irish
Mac Amhlaoibh.[1][2] These surnames translate into English as "son of Amhlaibh"; "son of Amhladh" or "son of Amhlaidh"; and "son of Amhlaoibh". The surnames originated as a patronyms, however they no longer refer to the actual name of the bearer's father. The names Amhlaibh, Amhladh, Amhlaidh, and Amhlaoibh are Gaelic derivatives of the
Old Norse personal names Áleifr and Óláfr.[1]
Distribution
Ireland (including the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland)
In 1990, the
United States Census Bureau undertook a study of the
1990 United States Census, and released a sample of data concerning the most common names.[6] According to this sample of 6.3 million people (who had 88,799 unique
last names),[7] "MACAULEY" (including MacAuley and Macauley) ranked 20,117th most common last name, and was borne by 0.000 percent of the population sample. "MCAULEY" (McAuley) was much more common; it ranked 7,139th most common last name, and was borne by 0.002 percent of the population sample.[8] Within the
2000 United States Census, "MACAULEY" was the 15,676th most common last name, with 1,711 occurrences. "MCAULEY" was the 7,765th most common last name, with 3,946 occurrences.[9] The table below shows data concerning
racial-ethnic aspects of the surnames in the 2000 United States Census.
McAuley, MacAuley, and Macauley were not amongst the 100 most common surnames recorded in birth, death, and marriage registers in Scotland, in 1995.[10] None of the surnames ranked amongst the 100 most common surnames recorded in birth, death, and marriage registrations in the combined years of 1999, 2000, and 2001.[11] None of the surnames ranked amongst the most common surnames recorded in Scotland, in the
United Kingdom Census 1901.[12]
^
abcIrish Ancestors,
Irishtimes.com (www.irishtimes.com), archived from
the original on 13 May 2016, retrieved 4 January 2011, which cited: de Bhulbh, Seán (1997), Sloinnte na hÉireann – Irish Surnames, Comharchumann Íde Naofa, for the surname "Macauley".
^
abReaney, Percy Hilde; Wilson, Richard Middlewood (2006), A Dictionary of English Surnames (3rd ed.), London:
Routledge, p. 2034,
ISBN0-203-99355-1.
^Mac Amhalghadha, Mac Amhalghaidh, Library Ireland (www.libraryireland.com), retrieved 19 December 2010, which is a transcription of: Woulfe, Patrick (1923), Irish Names and Surnames.
This page lists people with the
surnameMcAuley. If an
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link by adding the person's
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