Contents [hide]

McAteer History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

McAteer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The root of the ancient Dalriadan-Scottish name McAteer is the Gaelic form Mac-an-Tsaoir, which denotes son of the carpenter or wright.

Early Origins of the McAteer family

The surname McAteer was first found in on the Isle of Iona, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the McAteer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McAteer research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1372, 1564 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McAteer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McAteer Spelling Variations

The translation of Gaelic names in the Middle Ages was not a task undertaken with great care. Records from that era show an enormous number of spelling variations, even in names referring to the same person. Over the years McAteer has appeared as MacAteer, MacTear, MacTeir, MacTire, MacAtee, MacAtter, MacAttur and many more.

Early Notables of the McAteer family

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

McAteer Ranking

In the United States, the name McAteer is the 13,223^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Migration of the McAteer family to Ireland

Some of the McAteer family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McAteer migration to the United States +

Many settled along the east coast of what would become the United States and Canada. As the American War of Independence broke out, those who remained loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these hardy Dalriadan-Scottish settlers began to recover their collective history in the 20th century with the advent of the vibrant culture fostered by highland games and Clan societies in North America. Highland games, clan societies, and other organizations generated much renewed interest in Scottish heritage in the 20th century. The McAteer were among the earliest of the Scottish settlers as immigration passenger lists have shown:

McAteer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Alexander McAteer, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1866 2
James McAteer, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1868 2

McAteer migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

McAteer Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

John McAteer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Black Eagle" in 1861 3
Mr. John McAteer, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Black Eagle" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 19th November 1861 4
Mr. Robert Mcateer, (b. 1832), aged 32, British farm labourer travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "British Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1864 4
Mrs. Ellen Mcateer, (b. 1839), aged 25, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "British Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1864 4
James McAteer, aged 20, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rakaia" in 1878
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name McAteer (post 1700) +

Myrtle McAteer (1878-1952), American tennis player who won the U.S. singles title in 1900, and doubles titles in 1899 and 1901
James J. McAteer, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Jersey, 1912; Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Hudson County, 1918-20 5
James McAteer, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Missouri, 1956 5
J. Marshall McAteer, American Republican politician, Candidate for West Virginia State House of Delegates from Marion County, 1940, 1964 5
J. Eugene McAteer, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1960, 1964 5
Henry J. McAteer, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Huntingdon County, 1870-71; Member of Pennsylvania State Senate 33rd District, 1885-88 5
Ed McAteer, American politician, Independent Candidate for U.S. Senator from Tennessee, 1984 5
John McAteer (b. 1933), National Organizer of the Scottish National Party
Hugh McAteer (1917-1972), Irish leader of the Irish Republican Army
Andrew William "Andy" McAteer, English former professional footballer from Preston, Lancashire
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the McAteer family +

HMS Dorsetshire

David Robert James Mcateer (d. 1945), British Ordinary Coder aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 6

HMS Hood

Mr. William McAteer (b. 1918), Scottish Stoker 1st Class serving for the Royal Navy from Glasgow, Scotland, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 7

North Sea Flood

Donal McAteer, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" who survived the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Francis Mcateer, English Fireman from Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 8

The McAteer Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Per ardua
Motto Translation: Through difficulties.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/