MacDhòmhnaill

MacDhòmhnaill is a Scottish Gaelic surname meaning “son of Domhnall,” i.e., a Gaelic form of the patronymic MacDonald. In Gaelic orthography, the name is written as MacDhòmhnaill (with the lenited D), and in some sources it appears as Mac Dhòmhnaill. The element Mac means “son,” and Dhòmhnaill derives from Domhnall, the Gaelic form of Donald. The given name Domhnall itself is from Old Irish Domnall, traditionally interpreted as “world-ruler” or “leader of the world.”

Historically, MacDhòmhnaill is associated with Clan Donald (Clann Dhòmhnaill), one of the largest and most influential Gaelic-speaking clans in Scotland. The clan’s power centered in the western Highlands and the islands, including the Isle of Skye, Mull, Islay, and surrounding regions. The Gaelic form MacDhòmhnaill appears in genealogies and records preserved in Gaelic, while many descendants later adopted Anglicized spellings such as MacDonald, MacDonnell, or McDonnell in English-language contexts. The name spread with Gaelic-speaking communities during emigration to North America, Australia, and elsewhere, giving rise to a wide range of spellings in the diaspora.

Today, MacDhòmhnaill remains a Gaelic-language surname tied to Scottish heritage and to the broader history of Clan Donald. In English-language contexts, the name most commonly appears as MacDonald, with numerous variant spellings reflecting regional and historical divergences.