Island of “Macs”

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 235, 5 October 1936, Page 8

Island of “Macs”

CURIOSITIES IN NAMES The directory of Prince Edward. Island, smallest of Canada’s nine provinces, contains 25,000 names, and 0000 of them start with "Me” or "Mac.” The McDonalds lead all, but there arc great numbers of McKinnons, McLeods, McNeils, and in addition numerous' Campbells, Camerons, Frasers, Stewarts and so on. Prince Edward Island families with "Me” names have their own ways of preventing confusion which might arise when several families in one community bearing the same surname choose identical Christian names for their offspring. Down west there was a Big Malcolm McDonald whose son was called JohnnyBib Malcolm, and his son, Alex McDonald. There were so many other “Alex McDonalds" about that the grandson was called “Long Alex,” which made him "Long Alex JohnnyBig Malcolm. ” Donald Alexander McKinnons—or other similarly popular combinations—in some quarters aro differentiated by the old Highland use of "Black” before tho first name, giving "Black Donald.” In other parts of the province affixing tho name of an object liko ‘axe” or "pump” before the surname, giving “Johnny Axe Campbell” or "Malcolm Pump McDonald” solves the problem ot' probable confusion quite satisfactorily.