The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #125221   Message #2772934
Posted By: Dave MacKenzie
24-Nov-09 - 05:11 PM
Thread Name: BS: Usage: -ess suffix for female operatives
Subject: RE: BS: Usage: -ess suffix for female operatives
There are MacKenzies who spell it Mackenzie - I have some on my mother's side. It comes in handy when I want to tell my relatives apart. Kenzie is normally anglicized as Kenneth (or Cannice in Kilkenny).

Beth is the Gaelic "beatha" - life, and the Mormaers of Moray used mac (son of) and mal (follower of) almost interchangeably.