McCain (surname)

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McCain
GenderUnisex
Language(s)English
Origin
Language(s)Irish Gaelic
Word/nameMac Cathain
MeaningGrandson or Son of Cahan
Other names
Variant form(s)McCain, O'kane, Mckeane
Cognate(s)"Mac Cathain & O Cathain

McCain is an Irish & Scottish English-language surname of Irish origin derived from Gaelic. The surname McCain first appeared in Derry in the province of Ulster and is Anglicised form "Mac Cathain and Ó Catháin Other spelling variations include O'Kane, Keane, McClaskey, Kane, O'Cain, McCain and many more[1]

People with the surname[edit]

American military/political family[edit]

  • Many McCains fought in the American Revolution; one such was Capt John Young McCain (1760–1850) Gen. of George Washington's staff[2]
  • John S. McCain Sr. (1884–1945), US Navy vice admiral
    • John S. McCain Jr. (1911–1981), US Navy admiral, son of John S. McCain, Sr.
    • Roberta McCain (1912–2020), wife of John S. McCain, Jr., mother of John S. McCain III
      • Sandy McCain (1934–2019), sister of John S. McCain III
      • John McCain (John S. McCain III) (1936–2018), US Senator, presidential candidate (2000, 2008), navy pilot, Vietnam War POW, son of John S. McCain, Jr.
      • Carol McCain (born 1937), ex-wife of John S. McCain III
        • Douglas McCain, adopted son of John S. McCain III
        • Andrew McCain (born 1962), adopted son of John S. McCain III
        • Sidney McCain (born 1966), daughter of John S. McCain III
      • Cindy McCain (born 1954), wife of John S. McCain III
      • Joe McCain (born 1942), brother of John S. McCain III
  • Matthew L. McCain (born 1983), US Army Sergeant Major, current Senior Army Career Counselor XVIII Airborne Corps, Ft. Liberty, NC.

Other people with the surname[edit]

Characters[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "McCain Name Meaning, Family History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms". January 2000.
  2. ^ McCain and Salter, Faith of My Fathers, p. 19.