Recorded in many forms as shown below, this is an early Irish surname. It originates either from the pre 10th century Gaelic "Mac Conriada", with the interesting translation of the son of the trained hound, or possibly from "Mac Riada", meaning the son of the expert one. Traditionally, Irish family names are taken from the heads of tribes, revered elders, or some illustrious warrior, and are usually prefixed by "O", male descendant of, or "Mac", denoting "son of". The clans belonged to the province of Ulster, and were erenagh families in the barony of Raphoe, Co. Donegal, which implies that they held church property, and maintained the priest from generation to generation. The modern spellings include MacCready, McCreedy, McReedy, McGready, MacAredy, and short forms such as Crady, Craddy, Cready, Credey and others, is widespread in the three counties of Donegal, Derry and Antrim. Examples of recordings include Patrick Craddy at Bagenalstown, County Carlow, on September 14th 1838, John Brown McCready at Aghadowery, Co. Derry, on May 14th 1864 whilst Monsignor Charles MacCready, was rector of the church of the Holy Cross, in New York, in 1890. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Father Donogh MacReidy (also called MacCreedy). This was dated 1608, in the "Records of the Deans and Martyrs of Coleraine", Co. Derry, during the reign of King James 1 of England and V1 of Scotland, 1603 - 1625. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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