McCoy (surname)

McCoy
Family name
Meaning	"son of Aodh"
Region of origin	Southern Isles of Scotland, Kintyre, Ulster Ireland
Language(s) of origin	Gaelic
Related names	McKay, McKoy, McKey, McKee, McCay, McKie, McGee, Mac Aoidh, McHugh, Hughes, Hayes
Footnotes: Frequency Comparisons[1]

McCoy is a common surname of Scottish origin in the lands of Kintyre and then Irish (Gallowglass) origin. It is an Anglicisation of its Irish Gaelic form Mac Aodha, meaning "son of Aodh" (an old word for "Fire", a Celtic deity). It is particularly found in Ulster (Counties Antrim, Armagh and Monaghan) where many settled around the 13th century, having been Gallowglasses, and also in counties Limerick and Cork. Aoidh and Mac Aoigh were sometimes Anglicised as Hugh and McHugh.

Individuals

• Al McCoy (announcer), sports broadcaster
• Al McCoy (boxer), (1894–1966), middleweight champion boxer
• Alfred McCoy (American football) (1899–1990), American college sports coach
• Alfred W. McCoy, American author and scholar of the Asian heroin drug trade
• Alice McCoy (Politician), member of the South Dakota House of Representatives.
• Andy McCoy, Finnish guitarist of Hanoi Rocks
• Barry M. McCoy, American physicist
• Brian McCoy (1943–1975), Irish musician, trumpet player with The Miami Showband. One of the three members killed when the band was amushed by loyalist paramilitaries
• Carl McCoy, musician
• Charlie McCoy, (1941–), American musician
• Colt McCoy, (1986–), American football quarterback
• Elaine McCoy, (1946–), Canadian senator
• Elijah McCoy, (1844–1929), inventor, automatic machinery lubricator, lawn sprinkler
• Ernie McCoy, Formula One driver
• Ethel Bergstresser McCoy (1893–1980), of New York City
• Franklin Pierce McCoy (1875-1914), of Cabell County, WV. Preacher and writer traveling the rivers of Ohio and Pennsylvania on steamboats such as the Kanawha looking for work (see letter posted in the steamboats.com museum).
• Freddie McCoy (1932-2009), American soul jazz vibraphonist
• Frederick McCoy, (1823–1899), British palaeontologist
• Garry McCoy, (1972–), Australian motorcycle racer
• George McCoy, author of a guide to sexual services in Britain
• Gerald McCoy, American football player
• Gerry McCoy (born 1960), Scottish football player
• Henry McCoy, fictional Marvel character from the X–Men
• Horace McCoy, (1897–1955), American writer
• Jack E. McCoy (1929-2014), American politician
• Janet J. McCoy, American administrator and politician
• Jason McCoy, (1970–), Canadian singer/songwriter
• Jason L. McCoy, (1971– ), Attorney, Mayor of the Town of Vernon, Connecticut Politician
• Joseph McCoy, 19th century cattle baron cited as the inspiration for the phrase "The Real McCoy"
• Kansas Joe McCoy, (1905–1950), American musician
• Kellen McCoy, (1987–), American basketball player and coach
• Kevin McCoy (artist), (1967–), American artist
• Kevin McCoy (rector), rector of the Pontifical North American College.
• Kid McCoy, (1872–1940), boxer (born Norman Selby)
• Leonard McCoy, fictional doctor in Star Trek
• LeRon McCoy, (1982–), American football wide receiver
• LeSean McCoy, (1988–), American football running back
• Marvin McCoy (born 1988), professional footballer
• Matt McCoy (actor)
• Matt McCoy (American football), (1982–), American football linebacker
• Matt McCoy (Iowa politician), member of the Iowa Senate
• Mike McCoy (disambiguation), multiple people
• Paul McCoy, musician
• Papa Charlie McCoy, (1909–1950), American musician
• Randolph McCoy of the Hatfield–McCoy feud, also called Randolph "Ole Ran'l" McCoy.
• Richard McCoy, Jr., airplane hijacker
• Rico McCoy, American football player
• Robert Bruce McCoy, United States National Guard officer
• Robert McCoy, member of the United States House of Representatives
• Rose Marie McCoy, (1922–2015), American songwriter
• Steve McCoy, radio morning show host
• Sylvester McCoy, (1943–), Scottish actor
• Tim McCoy, (1891–1978), American actor
• Tony McCoy, Irish National Hunt jockey
• Travis McCoy, member of the rap group Gym Class Heroes
• Van McCoy (1940–1979), music producer and songwriter
• Walter R. McCoy (1880–1952), stamp collector from New York City
• William S. McCoy, American rum–runner

Use in fiction

• Alice McCoy (Digimon), a character in Digimon Tamers
• Dr. Henry "Hank" P. McCoy, aka 'Beast' from Marvel Comics' X-Men
• Jack McCoy, a character appearing in the Law & Order TV series
• Leonard McCoy, a doctor on Star Trek: The Original Series
• Sherman McCoy, a character in The Bonfire of the Vanities
• Danny McCoy, a character in Las Vegas, a TV series
• Josie McCoy (sometimes referred to as "Josie James" and less frequently "Josie Jones"), a character in the Josie and the Pussycats franchise.
• Ray McCoy, the main character of the 1997 video game Blade Runner.

Other uses

• One of the families in the Hatfield-McCoy feud in Kentucky/West Virginia in the 19th century. A TV mini-series "Hatfields & McCoys" starring Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton depict the horrific blood feud between the two families on the West Virginia/Kentucky border in the years after the Civil War.

References

1. "McCoy Surname Meaning and Distribution". forebears.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2014

• About.com - Origin for the Surname MacCoy (accessed 15 Feb 2007)
• Araltas.com - McCoy Coats of Arms (accessed 15 Feb 2007)