McCarthy surname meaning

McCarthy is an Irish patronymic from Gaelic Mac Cárthaigh, “son of Carthach.” Carthach was an early personal name traditionally associated with loving or friendly qualities, but that older gloss is background to the ancestor’s name rather than a literal description of every family. MacCarthy, McCarty, MacCartie, and MacCarthaigh show English and Gaelic spelling forms, including the southern Irish pronunciation reflected in McCarty. Parent’s name is the high-confidence catalog type because Mac marks descent directly. Several McCarthy branches can still have distinct local histories.