From the Clan Donald website http://www.clan-donald-usa.org/septs.htm , I submit the following info: * Some people and clan associations speak of a "sept list" to indicate the various names associated with their clan. It is the official position of the Clan Donald-USA Genealogy Committee that this an improper use of the term, at least when speaking of Clan Donald, and probably when speaking of *any* Highland clan. Our preferred terminology is "Families of Clan Donald." * Many Clan Donald name variants are derived from a root name -- usually more closely tied to the /gaelic/ original. The identified root names are indicated by a number in front of the name in this list. A number following a name refers the reader to the correct root name. * The anglified prefixes for the /gaelic/"mac" or "mhic" (Mac, Mc, Ma, M') are all interchangeable, and indicate *no* special importance as to Highland, Island or Eire (Irish) family origins. * Most of the family names connected to Clan Donald have territorial limitations. (This is true with names connected with almost all clans, although many do not recognize or impose those restrictions, leading to unseemly confrontations about, for example, "my Clark" no "MY Clark!" -- when almost every clan probably had families named Clark attached to them -- from the clerks or clerics who did most of the accounting and book work. The same can be said of Gowans, Smiths, Taylors and a number of others.) * Clan Donald feels that these territorial limitations are important. Therefore, where those limitations are listed, a prospective member must indicate that *his* or *her* family of the correct name did come from the indicated area before they may be accepted for membership. Abbreviations for these territories are at the end of the name list. * A list of the main References used in the development of this table is at the end. Many of these are primary documents or original research of primary records. Daniel (53)Only those from West Highlands & Islands or Antrim and *must* have originally been a MACDANIEL. Approx. 5% of all Daniels are of Scots ancestry. 1 in 200 may be of Clan Donald. Donald (53)Only those who were originally MacDonald Donaldson (53)Only those who were originally MacDonald Donnell (53)Only those who were originally MacDonnell. O'Donnell is not related. MacDaniel (53)Another form of MacDonald, mainly found in the American South, where the two names were almost completely interchangeable. No more than 1 in 10 Daniels originally had a MAC. The MacDaniel derivations are not territorial but are simply due to "free" spelling by clerks, census takers, ships captains, etc., particularly in the American South. MacDonald Derived from: Gaelic MacDomhnuill - "son of Donald (world ruler)". Angus Mor MacDonald, son of Donald MacRanald MacSomerled, was first of the name. MacDonell (53)Form used by Glengarry & Keppoch branches MacDonnell (53)Form used by Clan Donald South Some Daniel, Daniell, Daniels etc had a Mac, Mc, or M' as part of the name but the "prefix" was dropped when the name was Anglicized. There were various reasons for this; sometimes political, sometimes a matter of expediency and other times because of the lack of literacy. Having said that. most Daniel, Daniell, Daniels etc NEVER had Mac, Mc, M' appended to the name. They were not of Highland derivation. I hope this info is of some help and will help eliminate some confusion. Gerald Daniel A post from the MaDANIEL List which may interest some. > > > The McDaniel surname appears to be both father's name and personal > characteristic in origin. It is believed to be associated with the > Scots, Welsh and > English and has the meaning " Son of Daniel" or " Dienal" (attractive) > and it > also meant; one who was attractive plus full of wisdom. (The Biblical > Daniel > means-"Judged of God.") > > An old Coat of Arms is "Azure Lion Rampart Or"-or a standing gold colored > lion on a shield of blue without a family motto. As the Coat of Arms > is simple in > construction, it probably was issued around 1100 A.D., when Coat of Arms > first began to be used. This Coat of Arms is representative, as the > McDaniel who > was assigned it is not known. > > Coat of Arms are, and were, assigned to individuals, not families. > > Yes, McDaniel originated within Clan McDonald and is know as a Sept, or > branch, of the McDonalds. In the 1600 and 1700s McDaniel and McDonald > were often > used interchangeably. Beginning around early 1800 the mixing of names > began to > become rare. Today each is a distinct surname, at least in the United > States. > > In North Ireland, where I was the guest of a McDaniel family, the name is > pronounced "Mur" Daniel not as we American say "Mack" Daniel. > > Curtis McDaniel >

I have found the name Donald and Daniel - both as forename and surname used more or less interchangeably in the Scottish records well into the mid 1800s. Particularly in the western highlands and nearby areas. Jack Butler ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gerald Daniel" <danielg@faytechcc.edu> To: <DANIEL-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2004 12:51 PM Subject: [DANIEL-L] MacDomhnuill, MacDaniel,McDaniel, Daniell, Daniel > From the Clan Donald website http://www.clan-donald-usa.org/septs.htm , > I submit the following info: > > > * Some people and clan associations speak of a "sept list" to > indicate the various names associated with their clan. It is the > official position of the Clan Donald-USA Genealogy Committee that > this an improper use of the term, at least when speaking of Clan > Donald, and probably when speaking of *any* Highland clan. Our > preferred terminology is "Families of Clan Donald." > * Many Clan Donald name variants are derived from a root name -- > usually more closely tied to the /gaelic/ original. The identified > root names are indicated by a number in front of the name in this > list. A number following a name refers the reader to the correct > root name. > * The anglified prefixes for the /gaelic/"mac" or "mhic" (Mac, Mc, > Ma, M') are all interchangeable, and indicate *no* special > importance as to Highland, Island or Eire (Irish) family origins. > * Most of the family names connected to Clan Donald have territorial > limitations. (This is true with names connected with almost all > clans, although many do not recognize or impose those > restrictions, leading to unseemly confrontations about, for > example, "my Clark" no "MY Clark!" -- when almost every clan > probably had families named Clark attached to them -- from the > clerks or clerics who did most of the accounting and book work. > The same can be said of Gowans, Smiths, Taylors and a number of > others.) > * Clan Donald feels that these territorial limitations are > important. Therefore, where those limitations are listed, a > prospective member must indicate that *his* or *her* family of the > correct name did come from the indicated area before they may be > accepted for membership. Abbreviations for these territories are > at the end of the name list. > * A list of the main References used in the development of this > table is at the end. Many of these are primary documents or > original research of primary records. > > > Daniel (53)Only those from West Highlands & Islands or Antrim and *must* > have originally been a MACDANIEL. Approx. 5% of all Daniels are of Scots > ancestry. 1 in 200 may be of Clan Donald. > > Donald (53)Only those who were originally MacDonald > > Donaldson (53)Only those who were originally MacDonald > > Donnell (53)Only those who were originally MacDonnell. O'Donnell is not > related. > > > MacDaniel (53)Another form of MacDonald, mainly found in the American > South, where the two names were almost completely interchangeable. No > more than 1 in 10 Daniels originally had a MAC. > > The MacDaniel derivations are not territorial but are simply due to > "free" spelling by clerks, census takers, ships captains, etc., > particularly in the American South. > > MacDonald Derived from: Gaelic MacDomhnuill - "son of Donald (world > ruler)". Angus Mor MacDonald, son of Donald MacRanald MacSomerled, was > first of the name. > > MacDonell (53)Form used by Glengarry & Keppoch branches > > MacDonnell (53)Form used by Clan Donald South > > Some Daniel, Daniell, Daniels etc had a Mac, Mc, or M' as part of the > name but the "prefix" was dropped when the name was Anglicized. There > were various reasons for this; sometimes political, sometimes a matter > of expediency and other times because of the lack of literacy. > > Having said that. most Daniel, Daniell, Daniels etc NEVER had Mac, Mc, > M' appended to the name. They were not of Highland derivation. > > I hope this info is of some help and will help eliminate some confusion. > > Gerald Daniel > > > > A post from the MaDANIEL List which may interest some. > > > > > > > The McDaniel surname appears to be both father's name and personal > > characteristic in origin. It is believed to be associated with the > > Scots, Welsh and > > English and has the meaning " Son of Daniel" or " Dienal" (attractive) > > and it > > also meant; one who was attractive plus full of wisdom. (The Biblical > > Daniel > > means-"Judged of God.") > > > > An old Coat of Arms is "Azure Lion Rampart Or"-or a standing gold colored > > lion on a shield of blue without a family motto. As the Coat of Arms > > is simple in > > construction, it probably was issued around 1100 A.D., when Coat of Arms > > first began to be used. This Coat of Arms is representative, as the > > McDaniel who > > was assigned it is not known. > > > > Coat of Arms are, and were, assigned to individuals, not families. > > > > Yes, McDaniel originated within Clan McDonald and is know as a Sept, or > > branch, of the McDonalds. In the 1600 and 1700s McDaniel and McDonald > > were often > > used interchangeably. Beginning around early 1800 the mixing of names > > began to > > become rare. Today each is a distinct surname, at least in the United > > States. > > > > In North Ireland, where I was the guest of a McDaniel family, the name is > > pronounced "Mur" Daniel not as we American say "Mack" Daniel. > > > > Curtis McDaniel > > > > > > ==== DANIEL Mailing List ==== > Don't forget to change the Subject line of your message when you change the subject of a reply message. >