McDuffie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

The original Gaelic form of McDuffie was Ó Dubhthaigh. The first portion of the name is the word "dubh," which means "black," while the second portion is likely an obsolete Irish forename. 1

The sept claim descent from the ancient Heremon Kings of Ireland. Through O'Conner Faley, Lords of Offaley (now Offaly), they descend from "Cahir Mor, King of Leinster in the beginning of the second century. He divided his great possessions amongst his thirty sons in a Will called 'The will of Cahir More,' contained in the 'Book of Leacan' and in the 'Book of Balymote.' His posterity formed the principal families in Leinster." 2 O'Duffy was listed as one of these such families.

Early Origins of the McDuffie family

The surname McDuffie was first found in Connacht (Irish: Connachta, (land of the) descendants of Conn), where they held a family seat from very ancient times, and were one of the many families descended from the great Kings of Ireland called the "Three Collas." Descending from the Clan Colla was Duffy, Lord of Fermanagh.

However, "there are several distinct septs of O'Duffy. One belongs to the parish of Lower Templecrone in the diocese of Raphoe, Co. Donegal, the patron saint of which is the seventh century Saint Dubhthach, or Duffy. The Connacht sept, the centre of whose territory was Lissonnuffy or Lissduffy near Strokestown, named after them, was remarkable for the number of distinguished ecclesiastics it produced." 3

Without a doubt, the oldest records of the family include: Muireadach Ó'Dubthaigh (Murdagh O'Duffy) (1075-1150), Archbishop of Tuam in the county of Connaught and Cadhla Ó'Dubthaigh, (Cele O'Duffy) Archbishop of Tuam, Ambassador to Henry II in 1175. 3

The Monaghan branch of the family were principally found in Attyduffy or Attyduff 2 and "modern statistics show that it is now most numerous name in Co. Monaghan." 1

Early History of the McDuffie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McDuffie research. Another 266 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1075, 1150, 1175, 1501, 1527, 1615, 1671, 1675, 1809 and 1871 are included under the topic Early McDuffie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McDuffie Spelling Variations

Irish names were rarely spelled consistently in the Middle Ages. Spelling variations of the name McDuffie dating from that time include Duffey, Duff, Duffy, O'Duffey, O'Duffy, Duffe, O'Duffe, Doey, Dohey, Doohey, O'Dowey and many more.

Early Notables of the McDuffie family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was Father Eugene O'Duffy (c. 1527-1615), preacher and satirist on the apostate bishop Miler Magrath; The Most Reverend Patrick...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McDuffie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McDuffie Ranking

In the United States, the name McDuffie is the 2,692^nd most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 4

McDuffie migration to the United States +

A massive amount of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century for North America and Australia in hopes of finding more opportunities and an escape from discrimination and oppression. A great portion of these migrants arrived on the eastern shores of the North American continent. Although they were generally poor and destitute, and, therefore, again discriminated against, these Irish people were heartily welcomed for the hard labor involved in the construction of railroads, canals, roadways, and buildings. Many others were put to work in the newly established factories or agricultural projects that were so essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the world. The Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s initiated the largest wave of Iris immigration. Early North American immigration and passenger lists have revealed a number of people bearing the name McDuffie or a variant listed above:

McDuffie Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Anna McDuffie, who landed in New York in 1738 5
Anne McDuffie, who landed in New York, NY in 1738 5
Dudly McDuffie, who landed in New York in 1738 5
Malcolm McDuffie, who landed in New York in 1738 5
Malcom McDuffie, who landed in New York in 1738 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McDuffie Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Neil McDuffie, aged 33, who arrived in North Carolina in 1812 5

Contemporary Notables of the name McDuffie (post 1700) +

Arthur McDuffie (1946-1979), American whose death at the hands of Miami-Dade police caused riots
John McDuffie (1883-1950), American Democratic Party politician, Prosecuting attorney, 1st Circuit, 1911-19; U.S. Representative from Alabama 1st District, 1919-35; Resigned 1935; Judge of U.S. District Court, 1935-50
W. E. McDuffie, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1972
W. Cliff McDuffie, American politician, Mayor of Zephyrhills, Florida, 2002-12
Sylvia D. McDuffie, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1996, 2004
John Van McDuffie (1841-1896), American Republican politician, Probate judge in Alabama, 1868-80; Delegate to Alabama State Constitutional Convention, 1875; U.S. Representative from Alabama 4th District, 1890-91
James G. McDuffie, American politician, Member of California State Assembly 15th District, 1854-55
Frances McDuffie, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from North Carolina, 2004
George McDuffie (1790-1851), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from South Carolina, 1821-34 (6th District 1821-23, 5th District 1823-34); Governor of South Carolina, 1834-36; U.S. Senator from South Carolina, 1842-46
Charles D. McDuffie, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from New Hampshire, 1884
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
"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)