McAuliffe or MacAuliffe is a surname of Norse Irish origin. [1] The name is an Anglicisation of the Gaelic Mac Amhlaoibh , meaning "son of Amhlaoibh ". [1] The Gaelic name, Amhlaoibh, was derived from the Old Norse personal name Olaf. [1] The surname occurs frequently in Munster, especially northern County Cork, western County Limerick, and eastern County Kerry. [2] The McAuliffes were a sept, related to the McCarthys. [2]