McNaught or MacNaught or Macnaught is a Scottish surname deriving from ''MacNeachdan'' which is a Gaelic patronymic for the Pictish name ''Nechdan'' meaning 'Pure'. It was anglicised as ''Macnaughten'' and variations of the name have led to Macnaught and MacKnight (also ''Macknight'' and ''McKnight''). The MacNaughts of Kilquhanty were a branch of the Clan Macnaghten. Notable people with the surname include: *

Anita McNaught Anita McNaught (born 1965) is a British journalist, television correspondent and former presenter, based in Istanbul in Turkey. Previously, she worked for Al Jazeera English for 5½ years, as a roving Middle East correspondent. Anita has worke ...

(born 1965), British-New Zealand journalist and TV presenter * Erin McNaught (born 1982), the 2006 Miss Australia *

Euphemia McNaught Euphemia "Betty" McNaught (October 8, 1901 – May 24, 2002) was a Canadian impressionist painter who focused primarily on landscapes and pioneer lifestyles in Alberta. In 1942, McNaught was commissioned by Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon ...

(1902–2002), Canadian painter * Ian McNaught-Davis ( fl 1950s-1980s), BBC TV presenter *

James McNaught James Rankin McNaught (8 June 1870 – March 1919) was a Scottish footballer who played as a half back. Career McNaught began his career with his local club, Dumbarton F.C. After a brief spell in Northern Ireland with Linfield, he joined Engl ...

(1870–1919), Scottish footballer, 1901 FA Cup winner with Tottenham. *

Jane Macnaught This is a list of producers, all of whom have presided over the running of the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' at some point since it began on 9 December 1960. In the early days, producers came and went on a regular basis, some repeating se ...

, producer of British TV soap ''Coronation Street'' * John McNaught (1902–1970), Canadian radio broadcaster and writer * John McNaught (1964–1997), Scottish footballer * Johnny McNaught (1892–1972), Scottish footballer * John Watson MacNaught (1904–1984), Canadian politician *

Judith McNaught Judith McNaught (born May 10, 1944) is a bestselling author of over a dozen historical and contemporary romance novels, with 30 million copies of her works in print. She was also the first female executive producer at a CBS radio station. Early ...

(born 1944), American writer *

Ken McNaught Ken McNaught (born 11 January 1955) is a Scottish former footballer who played for Aston Villa from 1977–1983 and was part of their Championship winning side of 1981, European Cup victory in 1982 and won the European Super Cup in 1983 aga ...

(born 1955), Scottish footballer *

Kenneth McNaught Kenneth William Kirkpatrick McNaught (1918–1997) was a Canadian historian. He is known for his 1959 biography of Co-operative Commonwealth Federation founder J. S. Woodsworth, ''A Prophet in Politics'', and his 1982 book ''The Pelican Hi ...

(1918–1997), Canadian historian *

Robert H. McNaught Robert H. McNaught (born in Scotland in 1956) is a Scottish-Australian astronomer at the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics of the Australian National University (ANU). He has collaborated with David J. Asher of the Armagh Observator ...

(born 1956), Scottish-Australian astronomer * William McNaught (1883-1953), English music critic and teacher, son of William Gray McNaught *

William McNaught (Glasgow) William McNaught (1813–1881) was a Scottish engineer, from Glasgow, who patented a compound steam engine in 1845. This was a technique of improving the efficiency of a standard simple Boulton & Watt beam engine. The engine was compounded by a ...

(1813–1881), engineer who compounded a beam engine *

William McNaught (Rochdale) William McNaught ( - 1888) was a steam engine engineer from Rochdale, Lancashire, England. McNaught was born in Manchester in ( and apprenticed with a Mr Mills of Heywood, Greater Manchester, Heywood, Bury, Greater Manchester, Bury. He then ...

, (flourished 1840s-1870s), engineer of Petrie and McNaught, who invented a variable cut off gear and governor for a Stationary steam engine * William Gray McNaught (1849-1918), English music critic and teacher *

William Kirkpatrick McNaught William Kirkpatrick McNaught (September 6, 1845 – February 2, 1919) was an Ontario manufacturer and political figure. He represented Toronto North in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1906 to 1914 as a Conservative member. Backgro ...

(1845–1919), Canadian politician *

Willie McNaught William McNaught (9 May 1922 – 12 April 1989) was a Scottish footballer, who was born in Dumfries. McNaught holds the Raith Rovers club record for the number of appearances with the club of 657 between 1941 and 1962. McNaught was club captain ...

(1922–1989), Scottish footballer (father of Ken)

See also