Masterson — Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: Mac an Mháistir
Meaning: 'son of the master'
Traditional stronghold: Wexford, Cavan
Pronunciation: MASS-ter-son; Irish Mac an Mháistir: mock on WAWSH-tir
History of the Masterson name
Masterson in Ireland is usually a translation of Mac an Mháistir, 'son of the master', a Breifne family long settled in County Cavan, where the name is still well represented. A quite separate line descends from the Mastersons of Ferns, an Elizabethan English family who became constables of Ferns Castle in County Wexford in the sixteenth century and put down lasting roots there. The two origins, one Gaelic and one planter, converged on the same English form, and Cavan and Wexford remain the surname's two Irish strongholds.
Variants: MacMaster · McMaster · Masterton
Famous bearers of the name
- Bat Masterson — Wild West lawman, gambler and sportswriter of Irish descent.
- Mary Stuart Masterson — American actress of Fried Green Tomatoes.
Related names from the same part of Ireland: Murphy · Doyle · Brady · O'Reilly · Kavanagh · McGowan · Smith · Clarke