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McGirr, recorded as McGerr, McGirr, McGeer, and likely others, is an early Scottish and Irish surname which is common in Ulster. It derives from the pre-10th century Gaelic 'Mac an gHeairr' which is believed to translate as 'the son of the short man'. It is certain that almost all Gaelic surnames, whether Scottish or Irish, and that are not locational, derive from a nickname for the first nameholder or chief. Some of these original names were robust at best and often obscene for modern tastes, so, therefore, the meaning has been largely toned down over the years. That is not the case here, and referred to the physical size of the chief, at a time when generally people were small in stature in any case. Like many nicknames, the reverse applied, and the chief was actually tall. The first known recordings of the surname are in Ireland in 1602. No individuals are mentioned except only that the nameholders in County Armagh are called MacEghir. Later in 1628 the name-holders are mentioned as being 'numerous in County Armagh'. The first known recording of an individual is that of Mobert M'Girre of Dalbeattie, Scotland in 1658, whilst Shane MacGirr of
Fintona Fintona (; ), is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Its population at the 2011 Census was 1,164. Name and etymology Fintona is derived Phonetics, phonetically from the Irish name of the area, ''Fionntamhnach''; this is ...
in Northern Ireland was a Jacobite who was outlawed after the battle of the Boyne in 1690. He is believed to have joined the Irish armies of the king of France. Elizabeth McGerr was a famine emigrant who left Ireland on the ship "Garrick of Liverpool" on May 15, 1847, bound for New York.


Dispersions and variations

It may be derived from an epithet or may be a calque or phono-semantic match to the Irish word gearr which translates as short. According to the Irish Times Households in the 19th century database, 'Gear' as a surname was found to be exclusive to Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Kilkenny and Offaly with the majority in Kerry. However, 70% of McGirr households in the 19th century were found in Tyrone and almost exclusively in Ulster. The name McGirr is most common in Tyrone and is associated with the
Cenél Fearadhaigh Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history *Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) is ...
of Clogher barony. The Annals of Ulster states that Cu-Uladh (The hound of Ulster) McGhirr-McCawell (MacCathmhaoil), 'chieftain of his own tribe', was an illustrious professor of science in England in 1368. In the aftermath of the Great Famine with the mass emigration of Irish it was very common for Irish to conceal their roots to avoid discrimination and names were commonly changed, i.e. O'Donnell to Dodds. There are Shorts listed in Kirkcudbrightshire east Scotland with a few people called McGirr, however, the McGirr name is far more prominent in Ireland than in Scotland. The Ulster Annals show Cu-Uladh McGhirr-McCawell (MacCathmhaoil) was perhaps too well established to be among the gallóglaigh. Edward Shortt, the son of a vicar who served as British Home secretary in the 1920s, has family roots that originate from County Tyrone. Feradach, of the Cenél Fearadhaigh, was the son of Muiredach and great-grandson of Niall, whose descendants included the MacCawells (MacCathmhaoil), as well as the Irish Campbells in the Clogher area. MacGilmartin were chiefs in the barony of Clogher, and one was chief of Cenel Fearadaigh in 1166. In 1365 when Malachy of the
Mac Cathmhaoil Mac or MAC may refer to: Common meanings * Mac (computer), a line of personal computers made by Apple Inc. * Mackintosh, a raincoat made of rubberized cloth * Mac, a prefix to surnames derived from Gaelic languages * McIntosh (apple), a Canadian ...
, the ruling house of Clogher, slew an
O'Neill The O'Neill dynasty ( Irish: ''Ó Néill'') are a lineage of Irish Gaelic origin that held prominent positions and titles in Ireland and elsewhere. As kings of Cenél nEógain, they were historically one of the most prominent family of the Nor ...
of
Tír Eoghain Tír Eoghain (), also known as Tyrone, was a kingdom and later earldom of Gaelic Ireland, comprising parts of present-day County Tyrone, County Armagh, County Londonderry and County Donegal (Raphoe). The kingdom represented the core homeland of ...
, Malachy was known as ''. Translated, this is Malachy the son of the short-fellow Mac Cathmhaoil. This feat of slaying an O’Neill warranted a change of name so he became Malachy or simply Malachy MacGirr. Later this family survived the
Ulster Plantation The Plantation of Ulster (; Ulster Scots: ) was the organised colonisation (''plantation'') of Ulstera province of Irelandby people from Great Britain during the reign of King James VI and I. Small privately funded plantations by wealthy lan ...
, receiving a number of grants of lands at the time. They are to be found later in the 1660s as taxpayers in the Clogher Valley and elsewhere in Tyrone. Today the family is generally found as McGirr, McGerr, McKerr and in the anglicized version as Short.


Individuals with the name McGirr

* Eamonn McGirr (1940–2004), Irish-born entertainer in New York's Capital District area *Edmund McGirr, one of the pseudonyms of writer
Kenneth Giles Kenneth Giles (1922–1974) was a British crime writer. Giles wrote books under his own name, as well as the pseudonyms Charles Drummond and Edmund McGirr. Giles started as a sporting journalist, and used what he learned there as background for ...
* Edward McCombie McGirr (1916–2003), Scottish professor of medicine * Ernest McGirr, Q.C. (1887–1982), politician in Manitoba, Canada *Fritz McGirr, musician with
Scythian (band) Scythian is a Celtic rock/Americana (music), Americana band based in the DC Metro Area that formed in 2002. The band's name, according to the members of Scythian, means " bunch of pre-Mesopotamian barbarians who did not use forks or phonics, ...
*
Greg McGirr John Joseph Gregory McGirr (11 October 1879 – 23 March 1949) was an Australian politician who served in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1913 to 1925, representing the Labor Party. He served as the party's leader (and Leader of ...
(1879–1949), Australian politician, New South Wales MLA *
Herb McGirr Herbert Mendelson McGirr (5 November 1891 – 14 April 1964) was a New Zealand cricketer who played in two Test cricket, Test matches in 1930. He was born at Wellington in 1891. His father William McGirr played 14 matches for Wellington as an o ...
(1891–1964), New Zealand cricketer who played in two Tests in 1930 *
Jim McGirr James McGirr (6 February 1890 – 27 October 1957) was an Australian politician. He served as premier of New South Wales from 1947 to 1952, holding office as leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He led the party to victory at the 1947 an ...
(1890–1957), Labor Premier of New South Wales 1947–1952 *
James McGirr Kelly James McGirr Kelly (March 24, 1928 – March 5, 2005) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Education and career Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Kelly received a Bac ...
(1928–2005), US federal judge *
Joe McGirr Joseph Gregory McGirr (born 19 June 1960) is an Australian independent politician, and a physician and former associate dean of the University of Notre Dame Australia. He has been the member for Wagga Wagga in the New South Wales Legislative A ...
(born 1960), Australian politician * Les McGirr (1897– ?), (soccer) footballer played for New Zealand *
Patrick McGirr Patrick Michael McGirr (25 December 1874 – 13 April 1957) was an Australian politician. He was born in Parkes, New South Wales, Parkes to farmer John Patrick McGirr and Mary O'Sullivan, and was educated at St. Joseph's Convent. He left sch ...
(1874–1957), Australian politician * William McGirr (1857–1934), New Zealand cricketer


See also

* McGirr, Illinois


References

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