The surnames McCabe (Irish: Mac Cába)[2] and MacCabe (/məˈkb/ muh-KAYB) are Irish and Scottish surnames. McCabes are considered to have moved from the Western Isles of Scotland to Ireland sometime around 1350. McCabes are now found mostly in the United States, Ireland and the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand.[3]

The coat of arms attributed to Alexander MacCabe, (fl.1689)[1]

Etymology

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McCabe and MacCabe are Anglicisations of the Gaelic Mac Cába, a patronymic name meaning "son of Cába". The surname can be written in modern Scottish Gaelic as MacCàba and MacCaibe.

The nickname or personal name Cába is of uncertain origin.[4] Patrick Woulfe considered that the surname was possibly derived from a nickname, meaning "a cap", or "hood".[5] Henry Harrison suggested the name was from the Gaelic Mac Aba, meaning "son of the Abbot".[6] If Harrison is to be believed then the surname would have a similar etymology as the surnames MacNab, McNab, which are from the Gaelic Mac an Aba, Mac an Abadh.[4]

Origins

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According to a pedigree written by Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh, the MacCabes descend from the MacLeods and king Sitric Silkenbeard.[5]

Bearers of the McCabe and MacCabe surnames are considered to have settled in Ireland from the Western Isles of Scotland sometime around 1350. They were employed as gallowglass (mercenary soldiers) to the O'Reillys and O'Rourkes which were the principal septs of Breffny.[7] In time the MacCabes became a recognised Irish sept, with the chieftain being called "Constable of the two Breffnys".

According to MacLysaght in the mid 20th century, statistics then showed that the surname was more numerous in the Breffny area than anywhere else. MacCabe landowners are also associated with County Monaghan and County Cavan.

The principal families of the name lost their estates after the Battle of Aughrim in 1691.[7]

Coat of arms

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According to a genealogy which purports to date from the 17th century, Alexander MacCabe (fl.1689) was a descendant of the last chieftains of the MacCabes. Within the genealogy, his arms are blazoned: vert a fesse wavy between three salmons naiant argent; crest a demi-griffon segreant; motto aut vincere aut mori.[1]

Present day distribution

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McCabes are now found mostly in the United States, Ireland and the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. The number of McCabes as of 2014 was as follows:[3]

  • United States: 42,038
  • England: 9,911
  • Ireland: 6,975
  • Australia: 5,436
  • Canada: 4,229
  • Scotland: 3,968
  • Northern Ireland: 2,120
  • South Africa: 1,412
  • New Zealand: 1,078
  • Wales: 286

In the 1990 United States Census, McCabe was ranked 1,200th most common surname, and MacCabe was ranked 43,031st.[8] At the 2000 United States Census neither ranked among the top 1,000 most common surnames.[9]

Notable people with the surname McCabe or MacCabe

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Aleksandra Bukowska-McCabe 1977 Poland Diplomat
Andrew McCabe (sprinter) 1990 Australia Sprinter
Andrew McCabe 1968 United States Law enforcement official
Bill McCabe (baseball) 1892–1966 United States Baseball player
Bryan McCabe 1975 Canada Canadian hockey player
Cathal McCabe 1963 Ireland Irish poet
Charles Cardwell McCabe 1836–1906 United States Methodist minister, bishop, Civil War chaplain, singer and nationally known religious humorist
Clare McCabe United Kingdom British-American chemical engineer
Colin MacCabe 1949 United Kingdom Writer and film producer
Colleen McCabe 1952 United Kingdom Fraudster, former headteacher
Corina Dean McCabe 1986 United States Writer
Dave McCabe 1981 United Kingdom English vocalist and musician
Donal McCabe United Kingdom Communications Secretary to the Queen
David McCabe 1940–2021 Famous photographer
Dick McCabe (disambiguation) several people
Edward McCabe (disambiguation) several people
Edward MacCabe 1816–1885 Ireland Cardinal Archbishop of Dublin
Eugene McCabe 1930–2020 Scotland/Ireland Scots-born Irish novelist, short story writer, playwright, and television screenwriter
Gladys Maccabe 1918–2018 Ireland Northern Irish painter
Harriet Calista Clark McCabe 1827–1919 United States Philanthropist
Herbert McCabe 1926–2001 United Kingdom Roman Catholic priest
Jake McCabe 1993 United States Ice hockey player
James H. McCabe 1870–1957 United States New York politician
Jessica McCabe 1982 United States Actress and YouTube personality
Jewell Jackson McCabe 1945 United States Businessperson
Jill McCabe 1962 Sweden Middle-distance runner
John McCabe (disambiguation) several people
Joseph McCabe (disambiguation) several people
Katie McCabe 1995 Ireland International footballer
Kevin McCabe (disambiguation) several people
Lida Rose McCabe 1865–1938 United States Author, journalist, lecturer
Lorenzo Dow McCabe 1817–1897 United States Minister, professor of mathematics
Martha McCabe 1989 Canada Swimmer
Michael McCabe United States Environment and energy policy advisor
Milo McCabe 1976 United Kingdom Television presenter and comedian
Nicholas McCabe 1850–1914 Australia Inventor
Nick McCabe 1971 United Kingdom English musician
Norman McCabe 1911–2006 United States American animator
Patrick McCabe (disambiguation) several people
Paul McCabe 1959 Australia Rugby league footballer
Richard McCabe 1960 United Kingdom Scottish actor
Ruth McCabe (fl.) 1970's - Ireland stage and screen actress
Shawn McCabe 1972 United States U.S. Marine Corps
Stan McCabe 1910–1968 Australia Cricketer
Steve McCabe 1955 United Kingdom English politician
Thomas McCabe (disambiguation) several people
Warren L. McCabe 1899–1982 United States Chemical engineer
William McCabe (disambiguation) several people
Zia McCabe 1975 United States Musician

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b D'Alton, John (1861). Illustrations, Historical and Genealogical, of King James's Irish Army List. Vol. 2 (2nd enlarged ed.). London: John Russell Smith. pp. 753–755.
  2. ^ "Cába — Database of Irish-language Surnames". Gaois research group. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  3. ^ a b "McCabe Surname Origin, Meaning & Last Name History".
  4. ^ a b "What's in a name?". www.ancestry.co.uk. Retrieved 13 December 2009.
  5. ^ a b Woulfe, Patrick (1993). Irish Names and Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company. p. 324. ISBN 978-0-8063-0381-9.
  6. ^ Harrison, Henry (1996). Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary (Reprint ed.). Genealogical Publishing Co. p. M2. ISBN 978-0-8063-0171-6.
  7. ^ a b MacLysaght, Edward (1957). Irish Families, Their Names, Arms and Origins. Dublin: Hodges, Figgis & Co. pp. 69–70.
  8. ^ "Frequently Occurring First Names and Surnames From the 1990 Census (Name Files)". www.census.gov. Archived from the original on 7 October 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
  9. ^ "Frequently Occurring Surnames From Census 2000". www.census.gov. Archived from the original on 19 November 2007. Retrieved 10 May 2009.
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  • McCabe Y-DNA Project. The McCabe group was one of the first on FamilyTreeDNA, with member kit numbers in the 800s.