Macbeths

Macbeths is a surname of Scottish origin derived from the Gaelic Mac Bethad, meaning "son of Bethad," with Bethad a Gaelic personal name. The form reflects the patronymic naming tradition of medieval Scotland and has appeared in various spellings in historical records.

The name is most famously associated with Macbeth mac Findláich, an 11th-century King of Scotland who ruled from 1040 to 1057. In the medieval period the name existed as a title and as a surname used by descendants of those bearing the given name.

In literature, the name became widely known through William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, first performed in the early 17th century. The play centers on the ascension to and loss of the Scottish crown and has strongly influenced modern cultural perceptions of the name, reinforcing associations with Scotland, ambition, and fate.

Today, Macbeth, MacBeth, and related forms are found as surnames in Scotland and among Scottish diaspora communities in England, Ireland, and elsewhere. The plural Macbeths is simply the customary plural of the surname when referring to multiple people bearing it. The name remains relatively uncommon but persistent in genealogical and cultural contexts, and it is sometimes used in fiction or media to evoke Scottish ancestry or a historical ambiance. See also Macbeth.

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