McVaugh History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of McVaugh

What does the name McVaugh mean?

The name is derived from the Irish Gaelic "Mac an Bheatha," and a bearer of Mac Beatha is mentioned in the Annals as taking part in the battle of Clontarf in 1014.

Early Origins of the McVaugh family

The surname McVaugh was first found in Connacht (Irish: Connachta, (land of the) descendants of Conn), where they held a family seat from ancient times. Today the name is numerous in north-east Ulster but back in the 17th century it was mainly recorded in Antrim, Armagh and Donegal as McVagh, McVaugh and McEvagh. 1

Early History of the McVaugh family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McVaugh research. Another 44 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1541 and 1798 are included under the topic Early McVaugh History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McVaugh Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: McVeigh, McVeagh, McVey, McVeigh, Mcvagh, MacVaugh, McEvagh and many more.

Early Notables of the McVaugh family

Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McVaugh Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McVaugh family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Charles, Daniel, James, Thomas and William McVay, who settled in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860; Edmund, John, and Patrick McVeagh arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.

Contemporary Notables of the name McVaugh (post 1700) +

Rogers McVaugh (1909-2009), American research professor of botany, Adjunct Research Scientist of the Hunt Institute in Carnegie Mellon University and a Professor Emeritus of botany in the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

The McVaugh 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 adversity.

Sources +

MacLysaght, Edward, More Irish Families. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-0126-0)