 According to Edward MacLysaght, this family's eponymous ancestor of this family lived in the 13th century.A pedigree of the family is recorded stretching back to Niall of the Nine Hostages, a semi-legendary High King of Ireland.In Scotland, the unrelated MacAulays of Ardincaple (also known as "Clan MacAulay") derived their surname from "MacAmhalghaidh", the Scottish Gaelic form of the surname.