The Irish surname McBryde, also found in Scotland, is mainly found in County Donegal in the northern province of Ulster. The name  McBryde is of patronymic origin and is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Mac Brighde, from earlier Mac Giolla Bhrighde (Irish), meaning “son of the servant of (Saint) Brighid.” St. Brigid was the virgin Abbess of Kildare who died in 525 A.D. A notable bearer of the name was Harriet McBryde Johnson the noted American author and disability rights activist.