McBride History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of McBride

What does the name McBride mean?

There are many Irish surnames being used today in forms that are quite different than their original, ancient forms. McBride originally appeared in Gaelic as Mac Giolla Bhrighde, which denotes a devotee of St. Brigid.

Early Origins of the McBride family

The surname McBride was first found in Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall), northwest Ireland in the province of Ulster, sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel, where the they are descended from the son of the servant (follower, devotee) of St. Brigit, the virgin Abbess of Kildare who died 525 A.D. The surname was first listed as eranaghs of Raymunterdoney in Donegal, a parish which includes Tory Island. The parish comprises 12,017 statute acres, but more than two-thirds is mountainous. Records show the name was principally found at Gweedore in the seventeenth century.