Show ContentsMcKedy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name McKedy originated among the descendants of the ancient Pictish clans. It is derived from the Gaelic surname Mac Adaidh, which means son of Adam. Addie, Addy, Adie, Eadie, Eddie, and Edie are all pet forms or double diminutives of the name Adam.

Early Origins of the McKedy family

The surname McKedy was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland, where they held a family seat at Strathardle, in the valley of the Ardle Water.

The first of the Clan was Gillimichael M'Ade, famous in Strathardle tradition, who was alive in 1232. The name took on many forms as it emerged from the original Gaelic. MacAddie, MacKeddie, MacChaddy, and when it became fashionable to drop the Mac it became Addie, Keddie, Chaddy, even MacKiddie, and so on.

Their home and clan seat was deep in the forest of Strathardle at Petcarene. Some members of the Fergusons of the Balmacruchie became McAdies.

ONe of the first records of the family was "the ship of John Kede, a Scotsman, was wrecked at Holkham, Norfolk, England, in 1388," 1 but from that early recording we must wait almost two centuries to find the next. The same source note that "John Kady was in record in Dysart, 1577, Margaret Keddie in Falsyde, parish of Roberton, 1623, and Dorathia Kadie, was heir of Alexander Kadie, tailor in Edinburgh, 1616. " 1

Early History of the McKedy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McKedy research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1635, 1639, 1647, 1664 and 1670 are included under the topic Early McKedy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McKedy Spelling Variations

During the Middle Ages, there was no basic set of rules and scribes wrote according to sound. The correct spelling of Scottish names were further compromised after many haphazard translations from Gaelic to English and back. Spelling variations of the name McKedy include MacAddie, McAddie, MacKeddie, McKeddy, MacKiddie, McKiddie, MacKedy, McKedy, MacKeddey, McKeddey, MacAdie, McAdie, Keddy, Keddie, Cheddy, Cheddie, Keddey, Kedy, Kiddie, Kiddy, Cheddey, MacEddie, McEddie, MacEddy, McEddy, Kede, Ceddy, Keddie, MacAdie and many more.

Early Notables of the McKedy family

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

Migration of the McKedy family

Scots left their country by the thousands to travel to Australia and North America. Desperate for freedom and an opportunity to fend for themselves, many paid huge fees and suffered under terrible conditions on long voyages. Still, for those who made the trip, freedom and opportunity awaited. In North America, many fought their old English oppressors in the American War of Independence. In recent years, Scottish heritage has been an increasingly important topic, as Clan societies and other organizations have renewed people's interest in their history. An examination of passenger and immigration lists shows many early settlers bearing the name of McKedy: James Kedie arrived in Pennsylvania in 1799.



  1. 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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