McPhee is a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic MacDhubhshìth and the Irish Mac Dhuibhshíthe. The Gaelic root means "son of Duibhshíth", where Duibhshíth combines dubh ("black") and síth ("peace"), thus "black peace." The name originated in the Hebridean island of Colonsay, and is often considered a variant of MacFie or a shortened form of McDuffie, both pointing to a shared Gaelic heritage. Etymology and Variation While McPhee is the most common modern spelling, the name appears in multiple forms reflecting dialect and Anglicization: McFee, McAfee, MacPhee, Macphee, and McPhie. In Irish contexts, the name corresponds to Duffy, which derives from the same Gaelic root. Another possible origin of McPhee is from Scots Gaelic mac a' Phì ("son of the smith"), linking it to names like Fee and Mahaffey—though the "dark peace" etymology is the more widely accepted. Notable Bearers The surname has been carried by notable figures across various fields. In sports, Adam McPhee (born 1982) played Australian rules football for Fremantle and Essendon, while Bid McPhee (1859–1943) was a Hall of Fame second baseman in Major League Baseball who set fielding records in the late 19th century. Bruce McPhee (1927–2009) won the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1962. In the arts, Angus McPhee (1916–1997) gained posthumous recognition for intricate woven grass sculptures created during his decades in psychiatric care. Katherine Dunn's father, a McPhee, may have influenced her work—though she is more famous for her novel Geek Love. Other notables include John McPhee (born 1931), a Pulitzer Prize-winning American writer; Alan McPhee, a Scottish professional golfer; and Colin MacPhee (1900–1964), a Canadian-born composer and ethnomusicologist who studied Balinese gamelan music. Cultural and Geographic Distribution Primarily found in Scotland, particularly the Hebrides and Argyll, McPhee also spread through emigration to Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. The name's variants like McAfee are common in Ulster. Meaning: Son of Duibhshíth ("black peace"). Origin: Scottish Gaelic and Irish. Type: Surname. Usage regions: Scotland (especially Colonsay), Ireland (Ulster).