Surname McCants - Meaning and Origin
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Defining Identity and History Through the iGENEA DNA Test: A McCants Story
Being a McCants always made me feel connected to a larger, shared story. I was aware of our Scottish origins, but I knew little else about my family's distant past. My journey with the iGENEA DNA test sparked a curios thirst to dig deeper and understand the origins of my surname and who the McCants are beyond the family stories and memories.
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read moreMcCants: What does the surname McCants mean?
The last name McCants is of Scottish origin and is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Macanta, derived from the Gaelic root ‘cainnt’ meaning ‘proclamation’ or ‘speech’. The name is a form of the Old Gaelic name Mac Aindrea, meaning ‘son of Andrew’.
The McCants were an influential branch of the Clan MacGregor and the surname is common in North America. It is most prevalent in the United States, especially in areas with high concentrations of Scottish immigrants.
McCants can also be found in parts of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is also popular in Australia due to the influx of Scottish settlers during the 19th century.
The McCants were and are a woven into the quite rich tapestry of Scottish history. In the 28th Royal Caledonian Regiment of the British Army, they comprise one of the oldest and most-respected units in service.
The descendants of the McCants have carried on the spirit of pioneering and resilience, showing unwavering loyalty to their adopted homelands as their ancestors showed to Scotland.
Order DNA origin analysisMcCants: Where does the name McCants come from?
The McCants surname is believed to have originated with the Ulster-Scots people (also known as Scotch-Irish) of the United Kingdom who migrated to the United States in the early 1700s. Today, the last name McCants is most commonly found throughout the southeastern United States, especially in the states of North Carolina and South Carolina. Furthermore, it is common in Virginia and Georgia. There is also a growing presence of the McCants surname in Texas, especially in the Houston area.
The largest concentration of the McCants surname is said to be in the Clarendon County, SC, area which is known as the “McCants Heartland”. This is believed to be a result of the 1760s migration of the Rev. William McCants and his family from Ireland to the present-day Clarendon County area.
In today’s day and age, a few McCants descendants have begun to expand their roots throughout the Americas and Europe, and many have also ventured into the other parts of the world – Africa, Asia, Australia, and beyond. Social media has helped to bring many members of the McCants family together and many McCants individuals have established strong connections with one another overseas.
Variations of the surname McCants
The variants of the surname McCants include MacCants, Macants, Makants, and Makkants. Other spellings like Mac Cants, Mac kants, Mak Kants, Mak kants, and Mac Canz are also used.
The surname McCants is derived from the Gaelic personal name MAC GANTAIN that contains the elements 'Mac' which means son of, and 'gantain' which refers to a legendary son of a Fox King.
Since the Anglicization of the surname MacGantain to McCants during the Great Scot-Irish migration in the 19th century, there have been many variants that have created surnames of the same origin. These are Cantz, Cants, Cauntz, Gantz, Kant, Kauntz, and Kent. All of these are derived from the same source and all can be traced back to the same ancestor.
Other variants of the surname include MacC :an, MacKan, MacKann, MacKant, MacKants, MacKenz, MacKin, MacKinn, MacKinns, MacKinte, MacKintay, MacKintie, MacKintey, MacKinty, MacKintys, MacKintzie, MacKontt, MacKunt, MacKunte, MacKunts, MakCant, MakCantt, Makkant, MakKantz, and Makkunt.
All of these surnames have the same origin, McCants, and are the various spellings of the same Gaelic surname of MacGantain.
Famous people with the name McCants
- Rashad McCants: former American basketball player who played professionally from 2005 to 2012 and is now an actor and entrepreneur.
- Ben McCants: former NFL defensive back who played from 1984 to 1994 with the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- Alvin McCants: former NFL wide receiver who played from 1986 to 1993 with the New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, and San Diego Chargers.
- Jazmine McCants: American track and field athlete specializing in the long jump.
- J.J. McCants: award-winning actor, director, and educator who has starred in numerous films and television shows.
- Rashod McCants: former college basketball player who played for the University of North Carolina from 2003 to 2005.
- Keona McCants: former professional volleyball player who represented the United States as a member of the USA national women’s volleyball team.
- Dave McCants: film producer, writer, director, executive producer, and actor in several television shows and films.
- Kevin McCants: American playwright, director and producer best known for his award-winning show “Lords of the Sunset Strip.”
- Yalonda McCants: television actress best known for her portrayal of 2000s pop star Elle Woods in the 2017 BET hit series “The Real Elle Woods.”