Contents [hide]

McPhee History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

McPhee History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The ancient Dalriadan kingdom consisted of the Hebrides islands, and the rugged mountains of Scotland west coast. The name McPhee began in this region; it was a nickname for a dark-featured, peaceful person. The Gaelic name of the Clan is Mac Dubhshithe, which translates as black one of peace. One branch of the Clan on the island of North Uist was known as Dubh-sidh, meaning 'black fairy,' due to their whimsical association with the faerie folk. 1 2

Early Origins of the McPhee family

The surname McPhee was first found in on the Isle of Colonsay, where the eponymous ancestor of the Clan may be Dubhshith, also called Dubside, who was lector at the Cathedral on the sacred isle of Iona in 1164. As the name MacFee is one of the oldest of all Dalriadan surnames it appears in records as early as the reign of Alexander II, when Johannes Macdufthi was witness to a charter in Dumfriesshire. In 1296, Thomas Macdoffy swore an oath of allegiance to King Edward I of England. 2

Early History of the McPhee family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McPhee research. Another 398 words (28 lines of text) covering the years 1506, 1512, 1531, 1532, 1541, 1569, 1585, 1595, 1605, 1609, 1626, 1681, 1703, 1723, 1747, 1838, 1845, 1850, 1890 and 1981 are included under the topic Early McPhee History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McPhee Spelling Variations

Medieval spelling was at best an intuitive process, and translation between Gaelic and English was no more effective. These factors caused an enormous number of spelling variations in Dalriadan names. In fact, it was not uncommon to see a father and son who spelled their name differently. Over the years, McPhee has been spelled MacFie, McFey, MacFee, MacDuffie, MacPhee, MacGuffie, MacCuffie, MacPhie, Maffie, Maffey, MacDubh-shithe (Gaelic) and many more.

Early Notables of the McPhee family

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

McPhee Ranking

In the United States, the name McPhee is the 6,687^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 3 However, in Australia, the name McPhee is ranked the 795^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,923 people with that name. 4

Migration of the McPhee family to Ireland

Some of the McPhee family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 89 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McPhee migration to the United States +

These settlers arrived in North America at a time when the east was burgeoning with prosperous colonies and the expanses of the west were just being opened up. The American War of Independence was also imminent. Some Scots stayed to fight for a new country, while others who remained loyal went north as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of them went on to rediscover their heritage in the 20th century through highland games and other patriotic Scottish events. The McPhee were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

McPhee Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Alexander McPhee, who landed in Virginia in 1776 5
Allan McPhee, who arrived in Virginia in 1776 5
Neil McPhee, who landed in Virginia in 1776 5

McPhee migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McPhee Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Allan McPhee U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1784 he served in the 84th Regiment 6

McPhee Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Donald McPhee (McPrie), aged 40, a carpenter, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
Catherine McPhee (McPrie), aged 40, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
Alexander McPhee (McPrie), aged 15, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
Allan McPhee (McPrie), aged 10, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
John McPhee (McPrie), aged 6, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McPhee migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

McPhee Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Malcolm McPhee, aged 34, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Switzerland"
Munro McPhee, aged 50, a crofter, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Switzerland"
Colin McPhee, aged 38, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Frenchman"
Margaret McPhee, aged 17, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Frenchman"
Mary McPhee, aged 14, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Frenchman"

McPhee 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:

McPhee Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Neil McPhee, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ellen Lewis" in 1860
Henrietta McPhee, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ellen Lewis" in 1860
Murdoch McPhee, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ellen Lewis" in 1860
Alexander McPhee, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ellen Lewis" in 1860
Mr. Duncan Mcphee, (b. 1835), aged 25, Scottish shepherd from Inverness travelling from Bristol aboard the ship "William Miles" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st August 1860 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name McPhee (post 1700) +

Katharine McPhee (b. 1984), American singer and contestant on television series American Idol, wife of record producer David Foster in June 2019
John Angus McPhee (b. 1931), American writer awarded the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction
Sidney A. McPhee, American educator
Laura McPhee (b. 1958), American photographer
Joe McPhee (b. 1939), American jazz musician
Bid McPhee (1859-1943), American Major League Baseball player
John McPhee, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Salt Lake City, Utah, 1928-33
Duncan McPhee, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for Michigan State Senate 30th District, 1946
Chester McPhee, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1940
Stephen McPhee (b. 1981), Scottish footballer
... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the McPhee family +

Halifax Explosion

Mr. Burton McPhee (1889-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 8
Mrs. Georgina McPhee (1890-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 8

The McPhee 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: Pro Rege
Motto Translation: For the King.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance