MacAtee History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

Etymology of MacAtee

What does the name MacAtee mean?

The Dalriadan clans of ancient Scotland spawned the ancestors of the MacAtee family. Their name comes from the Gaelic form Mac-an-Tsaoir, which denotes son of the carpenter or wright.

Early Origins of the MacAtee family

The surname MacAtee 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 MacAtee family

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

MacAtee Spelling Variations

The medieval practice of spelling according to sound and repeated translation between Gaelic and English created many spelling variations of the same name. MacAtee has been recorded as MacAteer, MacTear, MacTeir, MacTire, MacAtee, MacAtter, MacAttur and many more.

Early Notables of the MacAtee family

Gilbert MacAteer, Chief of the Clan on the island of Bute in 1564

Migration of the MacAtee family to Ireland

Some of the MacAtee 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.

MacAtee migration to the United States +

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 MacAtee, or a variant listed above:

MacAtee Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Edward MacAtee, who settled in Philadelphia in 1864

Contemporary Notables of the name MacAtee (post 1700) +

Bill Macatee (b. 1955), American sports broadcaster for NBC Sports from Rome, New York
Robert Berry Macatee (1891-1974), American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Geneva, 1920-23; U.S. Consul in London, 1923-29, 1932; Bradford, 1929-30; Belgrade, 1938; U.S. Consul General in Jerusalem, 1947 1

The MacAtee 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.

Sources +

The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html