McDaniel
A Gaelic-style surname meaning “son of Daniel,” with Mc and Mac forms used interchangeably in older records.
The #352 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 3,480 Americans shares it.
Etymology
McDaniel is a patronymic surname built from the Gaelic-style prefix Mac or Mc, meaning “son of,” plus the personal name Daniel. Daniel itself comes from the Hebrew name Daniyyel, meaning “God is my judge.” In practice, the surname can be understood simply as “son of Daniel,” with the Mc/Mac spelling varying by place and record-keeper.
History
The name appears in historical surname lists alongside MacDaniel and related forms, showing that spelling was not fixed and that Mac- and Mc- variants were often treated as the same family name. In English-speaking countries, McDaniel became especially common as a normalized spelling in records and later civil usage. It is now most familiar in the United States, where it is a well-established surname.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname writers often grouped McDaniel with other “Mac” names rather than treating it as a separate fixed spelling, which is why both McDaniel and MacDaniel turn up in historical sources.
From the historical record
“niAC *OoirinAtll, MacDonald, MacDonnell, MacDaniel ; Donaldson, Donald, etc. tT»AC "OoriinAill, MacConell, Mac Connell, MacGonnell, etc.”
— Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish names and surnames