"MacDonald" and "McDonald"

[Anonymous]

Dear teacher,

Are "MacDonald" and "McDonald" the same? Are they surnames or forenames?

There is a song named "Old MacDonald"or "Old McDonald". I wonder which one should be the title of that song, and does the title of that song refer to the surname or forename?

Thank you very much.

[Casiopea]

Dear teacher,

Are "MacDonald" and "McDonald" the same? Are they surnames or forenames?

They are surnames/family names/last names. They are not first names, although someone probably has one or the other as a first name--you never know these days. :wink:

Mc is an abbreviation of Mac. (i.e., Old M(a)cDonald)

MacDonald and McDonald are perfectly equivalent. The common myth that "McDonald" is Irish and "MacDonald" is Scottish is absolutely erroneous. SOURCE

Mac is Celtic in origin: Scottish and Irish stem from Celtic origins:

Mac means, Son of
Nic means, Maiden name of Mac
Mhic means, Married name of Mac

There is a song named "Old MacDonald"or "Old McDonald". I wonder which one should be the title of that song, and does the title of that song refer to the surname or forename?

Both Old MacDonald and Old McDonald are used. They mean the same thing; Both spellings are accepted. Again, Mc is an abbreviation of Mac. Old Ma(c)Donald refers to an elderly farmer: Mr. Ma(c)Donald. :D

All the best, :D