Neil "Neil" is a reduced form of the surname "McNeil" (from the Gaelic "Mac Néill", "son of "Niall""), or variant form the surname of Neill (from the Irish "Ó Néill" or the Scottish Gaelic "Mac Néill", meaning "descendant of "Niall"" and "son of "Niall"". The name passed from Ireland to Scotland where it had the "Mc/Mac" prefix. Some Scottish McNeill's returned to Ireland in the 14th century and are associated with "MacNeill", "MacGreal", "MacReill", and "Mag Reil" surnames. The Manx version of the name is "Kneal" (1598), "Kneale" (1655), or "Kneel" (1636). It evolved from McNelle (1408) and MacNeyll (1430) becoming
Bowie (surname) one of the colonial families of Maryland with John Bowie, Sr. being the first Bowie in the colony. Bowie (surname) Bowie is a Scottish surname. The name can be derived from the Gaelic nickname "buidhe", meaning "yellow", "fair-haired". The surname can also be an Anglicised form of the Irish surname "Ó Buadhaigh"; this surname means "descendant of "Buadhach"" and is also rendered as Bogue and Boyce. The personal name "Buadhach" means "victorious". The surname "Bowie" is rendered in Scottish Gaelic as Buidheach (masculine) and Bhuidheach (feminine), as well as Mac<nowiki>'</nowiki>IlleBhuidhe (masculine) and Nic<nowiki>'</nowiki>IlleBhuidhe (feminine). Early instances of the surname in