Searching for my Clan

[ipaint]

I have just found this site (Happily so), and thought to inquire to a little help or advice. I am in search of my Clan, but am more than a little confused.
My Great-grandfather was a McGee, his Grandfather was a McGhee, his Father was a MacGhee....(Different spelling's, same name)
I've been re-searching at length and have found that the name came from MagAoidh. This is where I get lost. How can I find out a little more about the name "MagAoidh"? There is an Isthmus to the East of Lough Larne(?), with an island named "Island Magee" (from what I'm told) so there is obviously quite a bit of history back along the family name trail, but I'm just a tad bit lost on how to unravel it all. Could someone, anyone, please provide a small bit of guidance on how I could learn more about who I am?
My thank's.

[aNonnyMoose]

McGee is generally an Irish name, and Lough Larne is in Ireland, not Scotland. But MacAoidh is generally spelt Mackay these days, and that's a Scots name from the north - round about the Sutherland area I think.

[Polwarth]

Hello and welcome!

I'm afraid there is no short-cut to working out where your family originated! It is a slow process - and if you live away from the UK or Ireland, then it gets even more complicated and slower

You must start with your parents - find out where they were born. Then your grandparents and so on, back to the original immigrant to your country (I presume the USA?) If you are lucky then immigration records may give you details of passenger lists which, in turn, could prove a link back to Scotland or Ireland. However, many Irish travelled to England (Liverpool) to get on ships travelling to the US. You may then be able to work out whether your family are Irish or Scots. If you could then trace them back to a specific area of Ireland/Scotland (not just cos your surname is the same as where people of that name appear to originate!) then you might be able to trace back via old parish records in the relevant country.

Hope that helps a little, and good luck with your research.

[ipaint]

Great thank's, That is actualy more help than you would think. I knew that there is a bit more Irish in the family than everyone thought, but had no idea from what area. (Now I have more to go on) The family Bible's that came over from Scotland and Ireland are both still in the family (somewhere). I'm at present, trying to locate them and hope that birth's and death's may be recorded there. I had read somewhere that the name MacGhee, or variant's thereof, pre-dated some other family name's we have, so now I have more to go on.
There is a photograph of my great-grandfather taken who know's how long ago and the truly scary part is that EVERYONE will only say that I'm a dead ringer for him. Nothing else... I found out why about 5 years ago when I saw the photo. It is a bit frightening that I am an exact ringer in every way for Calloway MacGee. My thanks' to you both for your help. I have a little better direction for searching now.

[N_MacLeod]

Sounds like an Irish origin, though from what I could gather, your name is claimed as a 'sept' by Clan Mackay, Clan Macdonald (Macdonald of Clanranald), and Clan MacGregor. Sorry can't be of any more help.