ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1814 http://www.s-gabriel.org/1814 ************************************ 21 Oct 1999 From: (Josh Mittleman) Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked whether is an appropriate name for a man on the Isle of Skye 12th or 13th century. Here is what we have found. is a modern English spelling of a Gaelic name that was spelled in your period. We've found 12th century examples of it in Scotland [1, 2]. is an English form of the Gaelic patronymic . A patronymic is a surname that identified a man as his father's son. In our period, Gaelic patronymics were used literally: A man was called because his father's first name was . was pronounced roughly \mahk LYOATCH\. is a fine name for your period. We hope this brief letter has been useful. Please write us again if any part of it has been unclear or if you have other questions. I was assisted in researching and writing this letter by Talan Gwynek. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 28 Oct 1999 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] O/ Corra/in, Donnchadh and Fidelma Maguire, _Irish Names_ (Dublin: The Lilliput Press, 1990), s.nn. Muirdeach. [2] Black, George F., _The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning and History_, (New York: The New York Public Library, 1986), s.n. Murdoch.