McNaught

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 (born 1965), British-New Zealand journalist and TV presenter
Erin McNaught (born 1982), the 2006 Miss Australia
Euphemia McNaught (1902–2002), Canadian painter
Ian McNaught-Davis (fl 1950s-1980s), BBC TV presenter
James McNaught (1870–1919), Scottish footballer, 1901 FA Cup winner with Tottenham.
Jane Macnaught, 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 (born 1944), American writer
Ken McNaught (born 1955), Scottish footballer
Kenneth McNaught (1918–1997), Canadian historian
Robert H. McNaught (born 1956), Scottish-Australian astronomer
William McNaught (1883-1953), English music critic and teacher, son of William Gray McNaught
William McNaught (Glasgow) (1813–1881), engineer who compounded a beam engine
William McNaught (Rochdale), (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 (1845–1919), Canadian politician
Willie McNaught (1922–1989), Scottish footballer (father of Ken)

See also