McIntyre, McEntire, MacIntyre, McAteer, and McIntire are Scottish and Irish surnames derived from the Gaelic Mac an tSaoir literally meaning "son of the Craftsman or Mason", but more commonly cited as "son of the Carpenter."[1][2] The corresponding English name is Wright. It is common in Ulster and the highlands of Scotland, found in Ireland mostly in counties Donegal, Londonderry, Tyrone and Sligo.
The surname McIntyre was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where according legend, Maurice or Murdock, The Wright, (c.1150) became the first MacIntyre chief as a reward for helping his uncle, Somerled, King of Argyll and the Western Isles. The Gaelic form of the name MacAntSaoir Anglicised into the various spellings noted. In the ancient Irish annals, the first abbot of Clonmacnoise Saint Ciarán (c. 516 – c. 549) Ciarán mac an tSaeir ("son of the carpenter"), appears to be the oldest known record of the name; was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland.[citation needed]