McGuire

McGuire is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mag Uidhir, meaning "son of Odhar." The Irish forename Odhar derives from a word meaning "pale-colored" or "sallow". The name originated as a patronymic surname belonging to the Maguire clan of County Fermanagh, one of the most prominent Irish septs.

Etymology

The original Gaelic form of the surname is Mag Uidhir (also written Mac Uidhir), which comes from the elements mac "son" and odhar "pale, sallow, dun-colored". Variants include MacGuire, Mag Uidhir, and the most common spelling Maguire. The name refers to the legendary ancestor Odhar, said to be the eleventh descendant of Colla da Chrich, a great-grandson of the third-century monarch Cormac mac Airt.

History

The Maguire family were the ruling dynasty of the Kingdom of Fermanagh from the 13th to the 17th centuries. According to historian C. Thomas Cairney, the Maguires were a chiefly family of the Laigin—one of the three waves of Celts to settle in Ireland during the first century BC—and were part of the Oirghialla (Airgíalla or Oriel) tribal grouping. Over time, the name spread beyond County Fermanagh through migration and the Gaelic revival, particularly notable during the Flight of the Earls (1607) when many Gaelic nobles left Ireland.

Notable Bearers

While the article focuses on the clan, notable individuals with the McGuire variant include American baseball player Mark McGuire (whose given name is Mark David McGwire Jr.). The name also appears in literary works and sports globally.

• Meaning: "son of Odhar" (''pale-colored'')
• Origin: Irish Gaelic (Mag Uidhir)
• Type: Patronymic surname
• Variants: MacGuire, Maguire, McGwire