McGrath or MacGrath derives from the Irish surname

Mac Craith Mac Craith (Meic Craith, plural form) is an Irish surname, one branch of which is rendered McGrath. Alternate forms Among many alternate forms are McCragh, Crah, Crow and Crowe. Some of the forms may link the Mac Craith name to the ancestral na ...

and is occasionally noted with a space: e.g. Izzy Mc Grath. In Ireland, it is pronounced "Mack Grah" "Mick Grah" or "Ma Grah". In Australia and New Zealand it is pronounced ''MuhGrah''. Notable people with the surname include:

Clergy

* Alister McGrath (born 1953), Anglican theologian *

Desmond McGrath The Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) Union is a trade union in Newfoundland and Labrador that represents 15,000 workers. Most of the members are in the fishing industry but the FFAW also has organized workers in the hotel, hospitality, brewin ...

, Canadian politician and Catholic priest *

Michael McGrath (bishop) Michael Joseph McGrath (24 March 1882 – 28 February 1961) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served first as the bishop of Menevia from 1935 to 1940, then the archbishop of Cardiff from 1940 to 1961. Personal histo ...

(1882–1961), Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff, Wales * Patrick Joseph McGrath (1945–2023), Roman Catholic Bishop of San Jose, California

Musicians

* Eamon McGrath (born 1988), Canadian indie rock musician * Gunner McGrath (born 1978), American vocalist and guitarist * Mark McGrath (born 1968), American rock vocalist

Writers and poets

Campbell McGrath Campbell McGrath (born 1962) is an American poet. He is the author of nine full-length collections of poetry, including ''Seven Notebooks'' (Ecco Press, 2008), Shannon: A Poem of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (Ecco Press, 2009), and In the Kingdom ...

(born 1962), American poet * Eamonn McGrath (1929-2008), Irish novelist *

Harold MacGrath Harold MacGrath (September 4, 1871 – October 30, 1932) was a bestselling and prolific American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter. He sometimes completed more than one novel per year for the mass market, covering romance, spies, my ...

(1871–1932), American novelist and screenwriter *

Patrick McGrath (novelist) Patrick McGrath (born 7 February 1950) is a British novelist, whose work has been categorised as gothic fiction. Early life McGrath was born in London and grew up near Broadmoor Hospital from the age of five where his father was Medical Supe ...

(born 1950), British novelist *

Seán mac Ruaidhrí Mac Craith Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (anglicized as ''Shaun/ Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; anglici ...

(fl. 14th century), author of ''

Caithréim Thoirdhealbhaigh ''Cathreim Thoirdhealbhaigh'', or ''Triumphs of Torlough'' in English, is a historical account written in the 14th century in Irish by Seán mac Ruaidhrí Mac Craith, the chief historian to the Uí Bhriain dynasty.Moore, Norman. It depicts the w ...

'' *

Thomas McGrath (poet) Thomas Matthew McGrath, (November 20, 1916 near Sheldon, North Dakota – September 20, 1990, Minneapolis, Minnesota) was a celebrated American poet and screenwriter of documentary films. McGrath grew up on a farm in Ransom County, North Dakota. ...

(1916–1990), American poet *

Wendy McGrath Wendy McGrath is a Canadian poet and novelist. Career "Broke City" (NeWest Press 2019) is the final novel in McGrath's Santa Rosa Trilogy. The second novel in the trilogy, ''North East'' (NeWest Press 2014) was nominated for the Georges Bugnet P ...

, Canadian poet and novelist

Actors, directors, and screenwriters

Alethea McGrath Alethea Ada McGrath (1 June 1920 – 9 February 2016) was an Australian actress and comedian. She played Jocasta Nu in '' Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones''. Her roles on television included Dot Farrar in ''Prisoner'' and three d ...

, Australian actress * Bob McGrath (1932–2022), US actor, known for ''Sesame Street'' * Derek McGrath (born 1951), Canadian actor * Douglas McGrath (1958–2022), American screenwriter, director, and actor *

Frances McGrath Frances McGrath (born ) was an American actress. Early years McGrath first appeared on stage when she was years old. Her parents were friends with some of the actors presenting ''The Country Editor'', and the actors asked that McGrath be allowe ...

, American actress * Frank McGrath (1903–1967), US actor * Joseph McGrath (born 1930), Scottish film director * Judith McGrath (1947–2017), Australian actress * Katie McGrath (born 1983), Irish actress

Athletes

Andrew McGrath Andrew McGrath (born June 2, 1998) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was recruited by the Essendon Football Club with the first overall selection i ...

(born 1998), Australian rules footballer * Chase McGrath (born 1998), American football player *

Craig McGrath (rugby union) Craig McGrath (born 2 April 1974) is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. He is currently an assistant coach with the Melbourne Rebels, and coach of the Melbourne Rising. His professional playing career spanned five seasons, where ...

, former New Zealand rugby union player *

Felix McGrath Charles Francis Felix McGrath (born March 13, 1963) is an American retired World Cup alpine ski racer who competed in the Winter Olympics in 1988, and three World Championships. Career McGrath raced for the United States Ski Tea ...

(born 1963), former American World Cup alpine skier *

Glenn McGrath Glenn Donald McGrath (; born 9 February 1970) is an Australian former international cricketer who played international cricket for 14 years. He was a fast-medium pace bowler (cricket), bowler and is considered one of the greatest international ...

(born 1970), Australian former cricketer *

Jeremy McGrath Jeremy McGrath (born November 19, 1971) is one of the most popular American Motocross/Supercross champions in the history of the sport, racking up seven Supercross championships. He was most active in the 1990s earning the title the "King of S ...

(born 1971), American Motocross/Supercross champion * John McGrath (English footballer) (1938–1998), English footballer and football manager *

Kyle McGrath Kyle Daniel McGrath (born July 31, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres. Career McGrath was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the ...

(born 1992), American baseball player * Marion Mott-McGrath (born 1940), Australian chess player *

Mick McGrath (footballer) Michael McGrath (born 7 April 1936) is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a left half. McGrath began his career with Dublin club Home Farm before moving to England to join Blackburn Rovers in August 1954. He made 269 Footb ...

(born 1936), Irish footballer * Paul McGrath (footballer) (born 1959), Irish former footballer *

Robbie McGrath Robbie McGrath (born 18 July 1951) is a former Irish international rugby union player. His playing position was as scrum-half. McGrath played schools rugby for Newbridge College before joining Wanderers Football Club. McGrath was capped 17 ...

(born 1951), former Irish rugby union international *

Sean McGrath (American football) Sean McGrath (born December 3, 1987) is an American football tight ends coach at Missouri Southern State University and a former tight end. He played college football at Eastern Illinois and Henderson State, and signed with the Seattle Seahawks ...

(born 1987), American National Football League player *

Tahlia McGrath Tahlia May McGrath (born 10 November 1995) is an Australian cricketer. She made her Women's One Day International cricket (WODI) debut against South Africa on 27 November 2016. She made her women's Test debut in The Women's Ashes in November 2 ...

(born 1995), Australian cricketer *

Tim McGrath Tim McGrath (born 7 October 1970) is a former Australian rules footballer for the North Melbourne Football Club from 1989 to 1991, and the Geelong Football Club from 1992 to 2002, in the Australian Football League (AFL), which was known as the ...

(born 1970), former Australian rules footballer

Politicians

* Amy McGrath, retired US Marine and politician * Charles McGrath (politician) (1872–1934), Australian politician *

J. Howard McGrath James Howard McGrath (November 28, 1903September 2, 1966) was an American politician and attorney from Rhode Island. McGrath, a Democrat, served as U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island before becoming governor, U.S. Solicitor General, U.S. Sen ...

(1903–1966), American politician *

James McGrath (Australian politician) James Anthony McGrath (born 14 May 1974) is an Australian politician and Senator for Queensland since 2014. He is a member of the Liberal National Party of Queensland and sits with the Liberal Party in federal parliament. Following his re-elec ...

(born 1974), Australian senator * James McGrath (Canadian politician) (1932–2017), Canadian politician * Joseph McGrath (Irish politician) (1887–1966), Irish politician * Michael A. McGrath (1942–2021), American politician *

Patrick McGrath (Irish politician) Patrick McGrath (died 20 June 1956) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He represented Cork Borough (Dáil constituency), Cork Borough as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) in Dáil Éireann between 1946 and 1956. Independent TD William Dwyer ...

(died 1956), Irish politician * Paul McGrath (politician) (born 1948), Irish politician * Roy McGrath (1969–2023), American politician and fugitive *

William McGrath William McGrath (11 December 1916 – 1992) was a Ulster loyalism, loyalist from Northern Ireland who founded the far-right organisation Tara (Northern Ireland), Tara in the 1960s, having also been prominent in the Orange Order until his expuls ...

(1916–1992), Northern Irish Loyalist, convicted paedophile

Academia

* Elizabeth McGrath (art historian) (born 1945), British art historian and academic * Patrick McGrath (psychologist), Canadian psychologist * Sarah McGrath (born 1972), American philosopher *

William Thomas McGrath William Thomas McGrath (1918 – 1999) was the longest-serving executive director of the Canadian Criminal Justice Association from 1951 to 1982."History – CCJA." Canadian Criminal Justice Association (https://www.ccja-acjp.ca/pub/en/about-ccja ...

, Canadian penologist

Others

James McGrath (artist) James McGrath (born in Sydney, 1969) is a contemporary Australian artist and architect. He is known for his paintings, videos and Plexiglas panels that combine Baroque spatial concepts with seventeenth century sensibility. He uses 3D cloth simu ...

(born 1969), Australian artist and architect *

Kevin McGrath Kevin David McGrath (born March 1963) is a British Businessperson, businessman, philanthropist. and Executive Producer of an Oscar and BAFTA Winning Film Early career McGrath graduated from the Polytechnic of the South Bank (renamed Lon ...

, British businessman * Patrick McGrath (Irish republican) (1894-1940) *

Rae McGrath Raphael F. J. McGrath (born 5 November 1947), usually known as Rae McGrath, lives in Langrigg, Cumbria and is a British campaigner and specialist in humanitarian response to conflict and natural disaster. He founded the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), a ...

(born 1947), British campaigner against landmines *

Raymond McGrath Raymond McGrath (7 March 1903 – 23 December 1977) was an Australian-born architect, illustrator, printmaker and interior designer who for the greater part of his career was Principal Architect for the Office of Public Works in Ireland.Nich ...

(1903–1977), British Australian architect *

Rory McGrath Patrick Rory McGrath (born 17 March 1956) is a British comedian, television personality, and writer. He came to prominence in the comedy show ''Who Dares Wins'' and was a regular panellist on the game show ''They Think It's All Over'' for many ...

(born 1956), British comedian *

Tom McGrath (media executive) Thomas Berard McGrath (born 1956) is an American media executive. He is the CEO and chairman of Crossroads Live, a production company which invests in live and location-based entertainment on a global scale. He was formerly the CEO of STX Enterta ...

(born 1956), American media expert *

William L. McGrath William Lynn McGrath (May 1, 1894Marquis Who's Who, ''Who's who in Commerce and Industry.'' Volume 9, 1955. p. 698 – April 18, 1975) was an American business executive, who was president of the Williamson Heater Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. He se ...

(1894–1975), American business executive