McTaggarts

McTaggarts is a surname of Scottish origin. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac an t-Sagairt, meaning “son of the priest,” reflecting a patronymic naming tradition. The name has produced several spelling variants over time, including MacTaggart, McTaggart, Taggart, and Taggert, with regional and orthographic preferences shaping its different forms.

Historically, the name appears in Scottish records from the medieval period, associated with families in various parts of Scotland. Through migration and diaspora, bearers of the surname spread beyond Scotland to Ireland (notably Ulster) and later to North America, Australia, and other regions, contributing to a global distribution of McTaggarts and its variant forms.

Notable people with the surname include J. M. McTaggart (John McTaggart Ellis McTaggart), a British philosopher active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known for his arguments on the nature of time and reality. The surname is widely represented by numerous individuals and families, many without public prominence.

See also: Taggart (surname) for related forms.