Surname MacNestry - Meaning and Origin
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MacNestry: What does the surname MacNestry mean?
The last name MacNestry is an anglicized form of the Scots Gaelic name Mac an Oistir, which literally translates to "son of the hawker". It is believed to refer to someone who was a trader, most likely a peddler who traveled to sell goods.
The term 'hawker' is derived from the Gaelic words 'haccaire' and 'hoikaire' meaning 'one who announces what he has for sale'. The prefix 'Mac' added to the beginning of the surname meant 'son of' and was a common memorial to a father's surname in the Gaelic tradition.
The surname can also be associated with the Irish surname MacNeastach, which is derived from the Gaelic 'mac' meaning 'son' and the personal name 'Niastach', which means 'a learned one'. It is likely that an ancestor of the same name had the occupation of a scholar.
MacNestry is also a sept, or subsidiary family, of the Buchanan clan, who were a large, powerful and influential Highland clan from the Scottish Highlands. It is generally believed that the surname is an adaptation of the Mac an Oistir name used by people who moved from Scotland to Ireland during the 17th century.
MacNestry is a name of rich heritage and can be found in many countries, primarily in Europe and the United States. The dedication of its originators to their trades and professions is evident in the diverse paths that the surname has taken over the generations.
Order DNA origin analysisMacNestry: Where does the name MacNestry come from?
The last name MacNestry is most commonly associated with Scotland and Ireland, two countries with a rich history of the MacNestry name. In Ireland, the name can be traced back to County Donegal, where they are connected to the Maguires clan. The family name was then adopted by the Scots, and is most prominently found in Scotland’s Highlands. Here, the name is common with the Clan MacKenzie.
Today, the MacNestry name can also be found throughout many parts of the UK, Australia, the United States, and Canada. In the States, many can be found along the East Coast, which includes Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey. These states' populations consist of people with Irish and Scottish heritage who likely brought the MacNestry name with them during their immigration.
Canada also saw an influx of Scots and Irish in the 18th and 19th centuries, and this is when the MacNestry name is believed to have been spread across the country. It is most common in British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba.
What’s more, the name can be found around the globe as a result of the diasporas of Scots and Irish that occurred in the 19th and 20th centuries. The name appears in small populations in countries such as South Africa, India, and Jamaica.
Thus, while the MacNestry name is most closely associated with Scotland and Ireland, it can be found all over the world. It remains a popular name, especially amongst those of Scots and Irish descent.
Variations of the surname MacNestry
MacNestry is an Irish surname originating from the Gaelic Mac an Neasait, meaning "son of an artist". The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin include MacNessery, MacNeesary, MacNeesey, MacNeacy, MacNaysary, McNessery, McNeesary, McNesey, McNacy, and McNaysary.
The earliest known ancestor of the MacNestry family is Niallan an Niassait, of County Donegal in Ireland. This would be around 1100 AD. The surname is believed to have been passed down to multiple generations, with the spelling changing over time with each generation.
These different variations can come from how the record keepers spelled the name, meaning that MacNestry could have easily become McNestry or McNestary after the Norman invasion of 1170. Other variations such as McNaysary could have come from native translators who wrote the name phonetically.
The spelling of the surname was also affected by the differences between English and Gaelic. Sometimes the exchange of letters is simple, such as between "c" and "k", while other times the translation was much more complex in order to explain the Gaelic phonetics.
In some cases, such as with the MacNessery and McNessery variations, the difference may be more a matter of dialect than a spelling change. In the early 19th century, the spoken versions of the name may have been closer to the “McNessery” variation, due to the fact that the spoken language was dominant at the time.
Regardless, all of the variations and spellings are derived from the same Irish surname of Mac an Neasait, and represent the same family.
Famous people with the name MacNestry
- Bill MacNestry: American businessman and venture capitalist.
- Paul MacNestry: Former professional American football player.
- Thomas MacNestry: Co-founder and former president of Fletcher-MacNestry Detection Systems.
- Ethel MacNestry: Police sergeant in the San Francisco Police Department.
- Cole MacNestry: Award-winning American television journalist and author.
- Michelle MacNestry: American heiress and philanthropist.
- John MacNestry: English singer and songwriter.
- Fran MacNestry: Prominent Scottish chef and restaurateur.
- Ben MacNestry: Winner of the 2009 British Open Golf tournament.
- Dean MacNestry: Award-winning American stage and film actor.
- Neil MacNestry: Award-winning Scottish actor and director.
- Bruce MacNestry: Four-time Emmy Award winning American television director.
- Hayley MacNestry: American singer and songwriter.
- Mark MacNestry: Founding partner of the law firm of MacNestry & Associates.
- Melanie MacNestry: Grammy award-winning American country music singer.
- Mary MacNestry: Three-time world championship figure skating gold medalist.
- Sarah MacNestry: American photographer and author.
- Jacob MacNestry: Grammy award-winning jazz saxophonist.