Old Photograph Parkhill Hotel Durness Scotland

Old photograph of the Parkhill Hotel in Durness, Northern Sutherland, Scotland. The hotel was owned and run by Richard Mackay and sons.

This ancient Mackay surname is said to be of Manx and Scottish origins, although also later well recorded in the province of Ulster, in Ireland. It is a development of the pre 10th century Old Gaelic name " Mac Aodha ", derived from " Mac " meaning " son of " plus the personal name " Aodh " meaning " fire ", and originally the name of a Celtic god. Recorded in at least fifteen spellings including: MacKea, MacKee, MacKey, McKie, MacKie, McKee, and McCoy, there are many early references and recordings. These include Gilcrist Mackay, said to be the progenitor of the famous Mackays of Ugadale, and to whom King Robert 1st of Scotland granted lands in Kintyre around 1326. Other examples of the name recording taken from surviving church registers include: William MacKie, who was christened at Edinburgh on March 4th 1682, whilst Thomas, the son of John Hay MacKay was christened in Edinburgh on December 28th 1865. Patrick McKay aged 22 years, was a famine emigrant. He sailed on the ship Shakespear" from Liverpool to New York, America, on March 14th 1846.



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