McHaffey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The name McHaffey was first used by the people of an ancient Scottish tribe called the Strathclyde Britons. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name Debshithe, which means the black man of peace.

Early Origins of the McHaffey family

The surname McHaffey was first found in Wigtown (Gaelic: Siorrachd Bhaile na h-Uige), formerly a county in southwestern Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway, where they held a family seat from very early times. This distinguished Clan was originally known as the Clan MacKilhaffy and held a family seat at Craig Caffe in the parish of Inch.

Early History of the McHaffey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McHaffey research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1320 and 1540 are included under the topic Early McHaffey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McHaffey Spelling Variations

Before the printing press standardized spelling in the last few hundred years, no general rules existed in the English language. Spelling variations in Scottish names from the Middle Ages are common even within a single document. McHaffey has been spelled Mahaffy, Mehaffy, MacHaffie, Mahaffie, McHaffie, MacHaffy, McHaffy, MacGilhaffie, McGilhaffie, MacGilhaffy, McGilhaffy, MacKilhaffy, McKilhaffy, MacKilhaffie, McKilhaffie, MacIlhaffie, McIlhaffie, MacIlhaffy, McIlhaffy, MacCaffee, McCaffee, MacCaffie, McCaffie, McCaffy, MacCaffy, Milhaffie, Milhaffy, Mahalfie, Mahalfy and many more.

Early Notables of the McHaffey family

More information is included under the topic Early McHaffey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McHaffey family to Ireland

Some of the McHaffey family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McHaffey family

For Scottish immigrants, the great expense of travel to North America did not seem such a problem in those unstable times. Acres of land awaited them and many got the chance to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. These Scots and their ancestors went on to play important roles in the forging of the great nations of the United States and Canada. Among them: Martin and Martha Mahaffy and their daughter Mary who settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1767; Mary Mahaffy arrived in New York state in 1847.