Origin

McGann is an

Irish surname A formal Irish name consists of a given name and a surname. In the Irish language, most surnames are patronymic surnames (distinct from patronymic, patronyms, which are seen in Icelandic names for example). The form of a surname varies according ...

, derived from the

Gael The Gaels ( ; ; ; ) are an Insular Celtic ethnolinguistic group native to Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. They are associated with the Gaelic languages: a branch of the Celtic languages comprising Irish, Manx, and Scottish Gaelic ...

ic ''MagAnnaidh'', an Old Irish translation or sept of the ''

Mac Cana The Mac Cana or Maccan were a Gaelic Irish clan who held lands in Clancann and Clanbrasil in what is now northern County Armagh, and had the title of 'Lords of Clanbrasil'. It is the origin of the surname McCann and Maccan. Etymology The ...

'' clan.

Etymology

The ''Cana'' particle is a personal name meaning ' cub/whelp', although some sources claim it is derived from the personal name ''Annadh''. Due to

anglicization Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English languag ...

and Ulster migration the original form ''Mac Cana'' has had many variations, such as MagAnnaidh, MacAnna and MacCanna, later anglicized to McGann and McCann. The name became McGann upon Ulster migration to

Connaught Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine ...

and became Canny and Canney upon Ulster migration to the south (

Leinster Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland. The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...

and

Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...

Notable people named McGann

* Ambrose McGann, American baseball player * Andrew J. McGann, American politician and businessman *

Bernie McGann Bernard Francis McGann (22 June 1937 – 17 September 2013) was an Australian jazz alto saxophone player. He began his career in the late 1950s and remained active as a performer, composer and recording artist until near the end of his life. McGa ...

, Australian jazz alto saxophone player * Brad McGann, New Zealand film director and screenwriter * Ciarán McGann, Irish hurler from Castlelyons, County Cork * Dennis Lawrence "Dan" McGann (1871–1910), American baseball player *

Gary McGann Gary McGann (born August 1950) is an Irish accountant, the former chairman of Flutter Entertainment, and former CEO of Smurfit Kappa and Aer Lingus. Education McGann earned a bachelor's degree from University College Dublin and also an MSc in ...

(born 1950), Irish businessman * Jake McGann, English actor * James McGann (1955–2021), American academic known for research on think tanks *

Jerome McGann Jerome John McGann (born July 22, 1937) is an American academic and textual scholar whose work focuses on the history of literature and culture from the late eighteenth century to the present. Career Educated at Le Moyne College ( B.S. 1959), S ...

(born 1937), American academic and textual scholar * John R. McGann, American Catholic bishop * Joseph McGann, British music producer * Lawrence E. McGann, American politician * Oisín McGann, Irish writer and illustrator *

Preston McGann Preston McGann is an American former football wide receiver. He played college baseball at Seminole Community College. He was a member of the Orlando Rage, Columbus Lions, and Pittsburgh Power. McGann appeared on Michael Irvin's reality show '' ...

, American football player The McGann acting family consists of four brothers: *

Joe McGann Joseph McGann (born 24 July 1958) is an English actor. His roles include the lead role of Charlie Burrows, the housekeeper in the TV comedy series '' The Upper Hand'' (1990–1996), '' Night and Day'' and his voice role as Sir Gideon Ofnir in ...

Paul McGann Paul John McGann ( ; born 14 November 1959) is an English actor. He came to prominence for portraying Percy Toplis in the television serial '' The Monocled Mutineer'' (1986), then starred in the dark comedy '' Withnail and I'' (1987), which wa ...

Mark McGann Mark Anthony McGann (born 12 July 1961) is an English actor. Early life He attended the De La Salle Academy, Liverpool, De La Salle Grammar School, Liverpool. Mark's father Joe was a Royal Naval Commandos, Royal Naval Commando, who landed on ...

Stephen McGann Stephen Vincent McGann (born 2 February 1963) is an English actor, best known for portraying Physician, Dr Patrick Turner in the BBC One medical period drama series ''Call the Midwife''. He is one of a family of acting brothers, the others bei ...

Origin

Etymology

Notable people named McGann

See also