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The Dalriadan clans of ancient Scotland spawned the ancestors of the McCavage family. Their name comes from the personal name Tammas, which is the Lowland Scottish form of Thomas. The Gaelic forms of the name are Mac Tamhais or Mac Thamhais, both of which mean son of Tammas.
The surname McCavage was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where the first recorded Chief was MacGilla Tamhais whose name became anglicized as MacIltavish. A later Chief, Collen, called the 'good bald Colin' of Dunardarie, son of Gillespick, was directly descended from the Tavish Corr. Although it is reasonably clear that the Clan was settled in Craignish well before 800 AD, the historical records show little of their activities or family relationships.
Although many historians list this Clan as a sept of the Campbells, and others claim that a relationship to the Frasers existed, there is no good reason to suppose these relationships were the result of anything other than geographical proximity. There has also been some confusion between the MacTavishes and the MacThomas. Here also, the relationship is tenuous - the Thomsons being a separate Border Clan with its own Chief at that time. The Chief of the MacTavishes is considered to be the MacTavish of Dunardrie.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McCavage research. Another 264 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1355, 1755, 1815, 1858 and 1997 are included under the topic Early McCavage History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The medieval practice of spelling according to sound and repeated translation between Gaelic and English created many spelling variations of the same name. McCavage has been recorded as MacTavish, McTavish, MacTaffish, McTaffish and many more.
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McCavage Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Descendents of Dalriadan-Scottish families still populate many communities across North America. They are particularly common in Canada, since many went north as United Empire Loyalists at the time of the American War of Independence. Much later, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the highland games and Clan societies that now dot North America sprang up, allowing many Scots to recover their lost national heritage. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name McCavage, or a variant listed above: Simon McTavish, who arrived in New York in 1764; Elizabeth McTavish, who came to New York in 1765; John George Mactavish, was on record in Montreal, Canada between the years 1782-1798.