Origin of Ginty and McIntyre Names

Ginty
"In the sixteenth century, MacGinty was found mainly in County Donegal in the province of Ulster, but it is now a rare surname in any part of Ireland.  In Irish it was Mag Fhinneachta, meaning fair, or blond haired as the snow. There were many variation of the name, of which Maginnity, MacGinity and Ginty are probably the most notable.

"The late Dr. Edward MacLysaght, a pioneer of the study of Irish surnames, says that MacEntee has no connection whatever with MacGinty, although the two names certainly do sound alike.

"Because of the mass migration of family from County Donegal at the time of the plantation of Ulster, the MacGintys were driven south and settled in Connacht, where they became fairly numerous in the counties of Mayo and Clare.

"Remarkably little has been recorded of this ancient family.  Percy French, the famous painter, comedian and songwriter from County Roscommon, immortalized the name in his ballad, 'Paddy McGinty's Goat,' who had a taste for their bustles hanging out on the line to dry!"

Grehan, Ida. The Dictionary of Irish Family Names, 1997, Roberts Rinehart Publishers, pages 227-228.

McIntyre
"The name Mac an tSaoir originated both in Northern Ireland and Scotland.  In Ireland, it has gone through a variety of transformations, of which MacAteer is the most common, especially in counties Antrim, Donegal and Armagh -- where there is a townland called Ballymaccateer.  Mac an tSaoir means son of the tradesman and it is very likely that the Irish name, Carpenter, also derives from MacAteer.  Both MacIntyre and MacAteer are more plentiful in the north than in the south of Ireland.  In County Mayo there is a Carrickmacintyre (MacIntyre's Rock), but Cahermackateer is a County Clare placename.

"St. Kieran, who founded the famous Abbey of Clonmacnoise in AD 541, was known as Mac an tSaoir long before the establishment of surnames, designating his father as a craftsman.  Michael Mac an tSaoir was Bishop of Clogher in County Tyrone from 1268 to 1287."

Grehan, Ida.  The Dictionary of Irish Family Names, Roberts Rinehart Publishers, 1997, page 233.