The McCoy Surname

The Recent McCoys 

Andrew Jackson McCoy, son of William Lemuel McCoy and Martha Jane Harris, was born on 4 July 1873 in Tennessee. In 1880, Andrew age 7 lived in Marion, Tennessee with his parents William age 35 and Martha age 38 as well as his siblings Frank Columbus McCoy age 13, Louretta Pearl McCoy age 11, William McCoy age 9, Samuel P. McCoy age 5, and James Richard McCoy age 1. Andrew Jackson McCoy married Melvina Eckles on 5 December 1896 in Grundy, Tennessee. In 1900, Andrew age 27 and Melvina age 19 lived in Sequatchie, Tennessee with their children Bertha Luelen McCoy age 2 and Samuel Columbus McCoy 6 months old. 

Andrew age 37 and Melvina age 39 lived in Sugarloaf, Sebastian County, Arkansas in 1910 with their children Bertha age 12, Samuel age 10, and Effie Wilma McCoy about 2, 8 or 9 months old (the handwriting is difficult to decipher). In 1920, Andrew age 52 and Melvina age 39 lived in Diamond, Sebastian County, Arkansas with their children Effie age 10, Harlon William McCoy age 8, and Dorothy Mae McCoy age 4. Andrew Jackson McCoy died on 23 June 1944 in Sebastian County, Arkansas. He is buried in Huntington Cemetery in Huntington, Sebastian County, Arkansas.   

The McCoy Surname Meaning 

The possible origins of the McCoy surname are: 

1. Anglicized Irish form of Gaelic Mac Aoidh meaning 'son of Aodh', which is personal name referring to 'fire' originally derived from the name of a pagan god 

I traced the McCoy family name to Tennessee, Arkansas, North Carolina, Alabama, Ohio, and Kentucky. The McCoys go back to Scotland in the mid to late 1700s. 

With love, 

Autumn Rose Surratt 

The Ancestor Witch

Sources 

• "Find a Grave Index", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV22-9MMW: 8 September 2025), Andrew Jackson McCoy, death 23 June 1944, memorial ID # 73323433. 
• "United States Census, 1880", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD7R-8Q8: 8 September 2025), Wm. McCoy and Martha McCoy, 1880. 
• "Tennessee Marriages, 1796-1950", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDMD-9LQ: 8 September 2025), A. J. McCoy and Melviney Eckles, 5 December 1896. 
• "United States Census, 1900", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSZS-CH9: 8 September 2025), Andrew J McCoy and Vina M McCoy, 1900. 
• "United States Census, 1910", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKK3-Q9J: 8 September 2025), Andrew J McCoy and Vina McCoy, 1910. 
• "United States Census, 1920", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDFJ-Q79: 8 September 2025), A J McCoy and Malvina McCoy, 1920. 
• Ancestry surname meaning search on the app