Show ContentsMcGeecham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Dalriadan clans of ancient Scotland spawned the ancestors of the McGeecham family. Their name comes from /the personal names Eachan and Eochaidh. The Gaelic form of the name is usually Mac Eachainn, meaning son of Eachan. However, The surnames MacGeachie, MacGeachy, and MacKeachie are derived from the Irish surname Mag Eachaidh, an Ulster variant of Mag Eochadha, which means son of Eochaidh. 1

Early Origins of the McGeecham family

The surname McGeecham was first found in Knoydart, where they were a sept of the MacDonalds, descended from Hector (Gaelic Eachann,) second son of Roderick MacDonald, 3rd of Moydart and Clanranald. 2

Early History of the McGeecham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McGeecham research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1686, 1694, 1711, 1715, 1745 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McGeecham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McGeecham 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. McGeecham has been recorded as McEachan, McGeachan, McKechnie, McGeachie and many more.

Early Notables of the McGeecham family

Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McGeecham Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McGeecham family to Ireland

Some of the McGeecham family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McGeecham family

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 McGeecham, or a variant listed above: Joseph MaKecky (McGeachie), who arrived in Virginia in 1756; Thomas McKeachie, on record in America in 1797; Thomas McKeachy, who was in Ontario in 1844.



  1. MacLysaght, Edward, Supplement to Irish Families. Baltimore: Genealogical Book Company, 1964. Print.
  2. 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)


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