Parent’s name
McBride surname meaning
An Irish or Scottish patronymic from Mac Giolla Bhríghde, “son of the devotee of Saint Brigid.”
The short story
McBride is an anglicized Irish or Scottish patronymic from Mac Giolla Bhríghde. The formation means “son of the devotee of Saint Brigid,” with Mac or Mc marking descent and Giolla Bhríghde naming the devotee. MacBride, McBryde, and Gilbride are related record forms, not automatic proof that all bearers share one immediate ancestor. The surname is associated with northern Irish and Scottish naming traditions, but families can have separate origins. Parent’s name is the high-confidence catalog type because the descent formula is built into the name.
Also seen as: MacBride, Mac Giolla Bhríghde, McBryde, Gilbride
Sources used
- Ancestry, last-name entry 'McBride' (Irish and Scottish patronymic)
- Irish Names and Surnames, 'Mac Giolla Bhríghde' (devotee of Saint Brigid)
- US Census Bureau, Frequently Occurring Last Names in the 2020 Census by Race and Hispanic Origin: Top 1,000 (Names2020_LastNames_RaceHispanic_Top1000.xlsx), released April 2026