(Fife). Irish MacCartalne, a variant of MacArtain, 'son of Artan,' a diminutive of the old personal name Art. It was formerly a common surname in the Stewartry from the early sixteenth century onwards. Gilbert McCartnay in Galloway had a respite for 'tressonable intercommonyng with Inglismen,' 1529 (RSS., II, 431). Thomas McCartnay or Makartnay in Wigtownshire, 1562 (RPC., I, p. 214,224), and Helen Macartney is mentioned in 1588 in connection with lands in Dumfries (Edgar, p. 247). The Macartneys of Auchinleck are an old family in Ayrshire, and the Macartneys of Lissanoure, county Antrim, are descended from Captain George Macartney of this family. James McCartnay held 'tua croftis of land Iiand in the manis of Prestoun' in the first half of the sixteenth century (Neubotle, p. 339). William Mackartnay, burgess of Aberdeen, 1603 (NSCM., I, p. 97). Ewin Mclllecreist VcCartna or VcCartney in Oskalmull was put to the horn, 1629 (RPC., 2. ser. II, p. 341; III, p. 45), and the obit of Rinalda M'Artna apud Rannoch is recorded in 1564 (Chr. Fort., p. 132). George McKertney of Blaikit, 1681, appears in following year as McAirtnay (RPC., 3. ser. VII, p. 217,488), and John McCartney was officer at Bridgend, 1681 (ibid., p. 34). Donald M'Artna or M'Cartna in Ballacholis, parish of Kilmaluage, 1686—94 (Argyll; Argyll Intl.). Mareon Mackertnah and Girsel Mackernah were charged with being disorderly persons in the parish of Crossmichael, 1684 (RPC., 3, ser. IX, p. 574). M'Cairtney, Mackartane, Mackcartane, M'Kairtney, all 1667; Macatnay (in Lauder) 1676.

There are many families of MacCartney in Ulster and they were well established in that province more than three centuries ago: MacCartney is listed in Petty's “census” of 1659as a principal Irish name in the barony of Belfast, and in the Co. Monaghan Hearth Money Rolls of 1666 a James MacCartney appears in the parish of Mucknoe (barony of Cremorne), though in that of 1664 a different proprietor is given for that townland. According to family tradition two George Macartneys came to Ireland in the seventeenth century, one in 1630 and the other in 1649. In the Williamite war they took the Orange side and after the Jacobite debacle they flourished and several were High Sheriffs of Antrim. In 1878 the MacCartneys of Lissanure Castle, Ballymoney, owned 12,532 acres of valuable land in Co. Antrim; and another of the name (spelt in this case MacArtney), resident in Co. Tyrone, had considerable property in Counties Antrim and Armagh. As stated above the name is now numerous: it is no longer confined to the landlord class. The statement that the name is a variant of MacCartan cannot be accepted. MacCartney is Scottish, being a sept of the clan Mackintosh. Two curious synonyms recorded by registrars of births are Mulhartagh (Ballyshannon area) and MacCaugherty (Newtownards area).

Among the distinguished men of the name (five find a place in Crone's Dictionary of Irish Biography).

George MacArtney, 1st Earl, (1735—1808) distinguished himself in the British foreign service and perhaps less so as an Irish politician-his letter books from 1768or 1804are preserved in the Public Record Office, Northern Ireland, and a microfilm copy of these is in the National Library; another, James MacCartney (1770-1843), was a member of the United Irishmen, but is better known as a noted surgeon.

This Scottish name, that of a sept of the clan Mackintosh, has been prominent in north-east Ulster since the mid-seventeenth century. It has been used as a synonym of Mulhartagh (Ó Maolfhathartaigh of Co.

Tyrone) and of Mac Caugherty (which is a synonym of MacCafferty, q.v.). It is not a variant of MacCartan.

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(Celtic)? Son of Cart(h)- annach = the Kind [Irish carthannach, charitable, kind]