English
McAfee
McAfee comes from Scottish Gaelic Mac Dhuibhshíthe ‘son of Dhuibhshít’, from dubh ‘black’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰewbʰ-‘black’reconstructed
- Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*dubus‘black’reconstructed
- Old Irishc. 600–900dub‘black’
- Scottish Gaelicmoderndubh‘black’
- Scottish Gaelic, derivedmodernMac Dhuibhshíthe‘son of Dhuibhshít’
- EnglishtodayMcAfee
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰewbʰ-‘black’reconstructed
- Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*dubus‘black’reconstructed
- Old Irishc. 600–900dub‘black’
- Scottish Gaelicmoderndubh‘black’
- Scottish Gaelic, derivedmodernMac Dhuibhshíthe‘son of Dhuibhshít’
- EnglishtodayMcAfee
The story
Anglicized form of Irish and Scottish Gaelic Mac Dhuibhshíthe (‘son of Dhuibhshít’), a personal name composed of dubh (‘black’) + síth (‘peace’).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- ‘black’
bottom, fund, foundation, deep, depth, dumb, founder, dave, dip, fond, bot, deaf, dove, dub, bourne, butte, typhus, doof, 24 more
Today it means
name A surname.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- / McAfee