
Mac Torcaill

Mac Torcaill is a masculine surname in the Irish language. The name translates into English as "son of "Torcall"". The surname originated as a patronym, however it no longer refers to the actual name of the bearer's father. The form "Nic Thorcaill" is borne by unmarried females; the forms "Bean Mhic Thorcaill" and "Mhic Thorcaill" are borne by married females. Variant forms of "Mac Torcaill" are "Mac Thorcaill" and "Mac Thurcaill"; the feminine forms of these two names are "Nic Thorcaill", "Nic Thurcaill", "Bean Mhic Thorcaill", "Bean Mhic Thurcaill", "Mhic Thorcaill", and "Mhic Thurcaill". All these Irish surnames have various Anglicised forms.
Etymology.
"Mac Torcaill" translates into English as "son of "Torcall"". Variant forms of the surname include "Mac Thorcaill", and "Mac Thurcaill". These surnames originated as patronyms, however they no longer refer to the actual name of the bearer's father. The name "Torcall" is a Gaelic derivative of the Old Norse personal name "Þórkell", which is a shortened form of "Þorketill".
Feminine forms.
"Mac Torcaill", "Mac Thorcaill", and "Mac Thurcaill" are masculine surnames. The form of "Mac Torcaill" and "Mac Thorcaill" for unmarried females is "Nic Thorcaill", whereas the feminine form of "Mac Thurcaill" is "Nic Thurcaill"; these names translate into English as "daughter of the son of "Torcall". The forms of "Mac Torcaill" and "Mac Thorcaill" for married females is "Bean Mhic Thorcaill", whereas the feminine form of "Mac Thurcaill" is "Bean Mhic Thurcaill"; these particular feminine names can also be rendered simply as "Mhic Thorcaill" and "Mhic Thurcaill"; these four surnames translate to "wife of the son of "Torcall".
Anglicised forms.
"Mac Torcaill" has been Anglicised variously as "Thurkell", "Thurkill", "Thirkell", and "Thurkle". "Mac Thorcaill" and "Mac Thurcaill" has been Anglicised as "MacCorkill", "MacCorkell", "MacCorrikle", "MacCorkle", and "Corkhill".
Families.
According to Patrick Woulfe, Irish families with the surname are probably of Scottish origin.