Where does “Macdonald” come from?
Macdonald is an English form of the Scottish Gaelic Mac Dhòmhnaill, a patronymic meaning "son of Domhnall."
Macdonald (English): an
Definitions
- an
Ancestry of “Macdonald”, step by step
Macdonald traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Donald
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Donald | A place name |
| 2 | Scottish Gaelic | Dòmhnall | — |
| 3 | Old Irish | Domnall | — |
| 4 | Proto-Celtic | Dubnowalos | prince/chief of the world; prince / chief of the... |
| 5 | Proto-Celtic | dubnos | deep; world |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewbʰ- | deep |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewh₂- | smoke; mist, haze |
via Scottish Gaelic Mac Dhòmhnaill
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scottish Gaelic | Mac Dhòmhnaill | — |