McIsaacs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Etymology of McIsaacs

What does the name McIsaacs mean?

The McIsaacs family comes from the ancient Scottish Dalriadan clans of the mountainous west coast of Scotland. The name McIsaacs is derived from the personal name Isaac. The Gaelic forms of the name are Mac Isaac or Mac Iosaig, both of which mean son of Isaac. 1

Early Origins of the McIsaacs family

The surname McIsaacs was first found in Inverness, where one of the first records of the family was in 1476 when "the lands of Ardere in the barony of Clastray were resigned by Mariot, daughter of Molmoria M'Kesek." 1

Spelling variations for the family are quite varied: Mackessack, Mackissack, Mackissock, Mackissek, Makesaig (1592), Makkessake (1591), McKisack (1684) and many more.

In 1496, Donald Makessaig was recorded at Kilmun and he is probably the Donald McEsayg recorded in 1511. "John M'Intheir was convicted in 1623 for letting M'Keissik's 'bairnis the for hunger' in Breadalbane (BRT., p. 379 -there was probably a famine). Marion MacKissock was resident in the parish of Boyne, 1684, Elspet M'Kissick in Relliclone, parish of Madertie, 1658 (Dunkeld)." 1

Early History of the McIsaacs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McIsaacs research. Another 156 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1685 and 1871 are included under the topic Early McIsaacs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McIsaacs Spelling Variations

Spelling variations were extremely common in medieval names, since scribes from that era recorded names according to sound rather than a standard set of rules. McIsaacs has appeared in various documents spelled MacIsaac, MacIsaack, Kissock and others.

Early Notables of the McIsaacs family

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

Migration of the McIsaacs family

Dalriadan families proliferated in North America. Their descendants still populate many communities in the eastern parts of both the United States and Canada. Some settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists, in the wake of the American War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border have recovered much of their heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and highland games. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name McIsaacs or a variant listed above: Murdoch McIsaac who settled in New England in 1685; Malcolm MacIsaac settled in New York in 1775. In Newfoundland Dougal MacIsaac settled in Sandy Point in 1870.

Sources +

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)