Mac

Recorded in the spellings of Mac, Mack, and Make, not surprisingly this ancient surname is Scottish, but possibly of English origins. It is believed to derive from theYorkshire surname "Macwra", itself claimed to be a development of the Danish-Viking personal name "Makr". However logic suggests that the Olde English and Gaelic pre 7th century "Macrath", meaning the "son of the graceful one", the modern surnames MacRae, MacRay etc, has at least as good a claim to being the origin. What is certain is that the name has been held for many centuries by a Berwickshire family, and early examples of the name recording include John Mak, who witnessed a land charter in Ayton, in the year 1470, and William Make, recorded in Lanark in 1510. John Mack was a boundary witness in 1651, and Marion Mack was a burgess of Kircudbright in 1800. The first known recording of the surname in any spelling is believed to be that of John Makke of Berwick, who was granted safe conduct into England in the year 1424. This was during the reign of King James 1st of Scotland, who reigned from 1406 to 1437.