Our Surnames, and Migration Myths, Dubious Sources

D.1.

(House of Names, Hall of Names) (Kingston, Ontario, Canada, https://swyrich.com)

(they said (1)) "Professional analysts . . . found the name McAninch in Argyllshire

where they were seated from early times and their first records appeared on the early

census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain . . . Your name McAninch emerged

as a Scottish Clan or family in their territory of Argyll . . . The Clan MacInnes . . ."

(analysis) There are lots of MacInnes and derivative (e.g. McConnaughey, Duncan)

names in Argyllshire, however, none of our McA/I/Ninch names have been found there.

(and they said (2)) "On the western coast of Scotland and on the Hebrides islands the

McAninch family was born among the ancient Dalriadan clans. Their name comes from

the personal name Angus. The Gaelic form of the name, Mac Aonguis, translates as

son of Angus. Spelling variations include: MacInnes, MacInnis, MacAngus and many

more. First found in Morven, their earliest known territory."

(analysis) Story is valid for MacInnes, as can be seen on the Clan MacInnes web site;

however, it looks like House of Names / Hall of Names have taken the MacInnes story

and in-appropriately copied it for our McA/I/Ninch names in their computer data files.

D.2.

(Historical Research Center) (central Florida, http://historicresearch.com)

(they said (1)) "The Irish surname McAninch, a variant of McInnes, is an anglicized

rendering of the Gaelic surname MacAonghuis which means, literally, "son of Aonghus

or Angus", a Gaelic personal name meaning "one choice". The popularity of this name

in ancient times is undoubtedly due to the fact that Aengus was the Celtic god of love.

The surname McAninch is chiefly numerous in the northern Irish province of Ulster,

where it is derived, along with the names McInch and McNinch, from the Scots Gaelic

surname McInnes. It is not surprising that an Ulster surname may be traced to the

Scottish Highlands, where Gaelic clans have flourished since early times."

(and they said (2)) "The Scottish surname McIninch is of patronymic origin and is an

Anglicized form of the Gaelic name "MacAonghuis", meaning "son of Angus" . . ."

(and they said) "Bearers of this name in Ireland today . . . McInnes Clan, who came to

Ireland as "gallowglasses" or professional soldiers, to fight in the interclan disputes. . . ."

(analysis) Possibly valid for MacInnes, although it looks like Historical Research Center

may have copied MacInnes data for our McA/I/Ninch names in their computer data files.

D.3.

(International Ancestry Guild) (London, England) (scroll ca.1990) (not found online)

(they said) "McAninch research shows that the family originated as a sept in Scotland

in 1200 A.D., where they were of the same stock as the McGregor Clan of Argyllshire

and Perthshire" (International Ancestry Guild of London, England, scroll from 1990’s).

(analysis) False. Clan Gregor names include Neish, MacNeish, MacAngus, MacCanish,

and possibly MacNish, however, none of our McA/I/Ninch surnames are on their list;

See Clan Gregor Society, http://www.clangregor.com/membership/sept-family-name

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McAninch Family History NL v.XXVIII n.2  / Copyright Frank McAninch / p.2020-17

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