An Irish surname meaning 'son of Donough', commonly anglicized from the Gaelic Mac Donnchadha.
From Irish Gaelic 'Mac Donnchadha', combining 'mac' (son) and 'Donnchadh' (brown warrior). The name reflects the Irish patronymic system where surnames indicated paternal lineage and often included descriptive elements about ancestors.
The anglicization of Irish surnames like McDonough often obscured their original meanings, as English administrators struggled with Gaelic pronunciation and spelling. Many families have multiple spelling variations of the same name, creating a linguistic archaeology of Irish diaspora patterns.
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