GUILFOYLE
Guilfoyle is a surname of Gaelic origin found primarily in Ireland. The name derives from the Gaelic personal names Ó Giolla Phoil and Mac Giolla Phoil, which translate literally as “descendant of the servant of St. Paul” or “son of the follower of St. Paul”. The use of giolla – meaning “attendant” – and phoil in the original form emphasises a dedication to the patron saint.
Historical records show that the Guilfoyle family were closely associated with the O'Brien clan as hereditary stewards. Their service is recorded in the vicinity of County Clare and County Limerick, where the surname is still most common today. In the 16th century, brothers Nichol and Owen MacGilfoil appear on land charters granted by Sir William O'Karrell of Tipperary in 1576, underscoring the family’s established presence in the region.
In the province of Leinster, the Guilfoyle clan held lordship in Kings County – now known as Offaly – and possessed a castle in the village of Shinrone. Although the structure has vanished, it is documented that the chiefs of that area were active during the Elizabethan era and beyond. A further variant, Mac an Guilfhoda, is linked to County Galway and reflects a connection to the Tribes of Galway, a group of Gaelic families who controlled significant land and exercised notable influence in the 17th century.
During the Great Potato Famine of 1845 to 1852, many individuals bearing the surname emigrated, with documentation such as the passenger list of the ship “Jane of Liverpool” in 1846 naming Betsy Kilfoyle among those who departed for New York. The migration pattern spread the name across the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Contemporary estimates indicate that around 11,000 individuals in the United States and a further 2,000 globally carry the surname.
Throughout its history, Guilfoyle has appeared in a range of spellings – including Gilfoyle, Kilfoyle, MacGilfoyle, and Gillfoyle – as a result of anglicisation and regional variation. The consistent element across all forms is the original Gaelic reference to a follower or servant of St. Paul, a motif common to many Irish surnames that originate in early Christian association with particular saints. The surname’s persistence reflects a strong sense of cultural identity and loyalty to ancestral roots, particularly within the Irish diaspora, where the name remains a marker of heritage and pride.
Typical given names associated with the Guilfoyle surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Lee
- Michael
- Patrick
- Paul
- Peter
- Stephen
- Thomas
Female
- Ann
- Anne
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Jennifer
- Jodie
- Julie
- Karen
- Linda
- Margaret
- Mary
- Pauline
- Samantha
- Sarah
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Guilfoyle in...
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There are approximately 1,122 people named Guilfoyle in the UK. That makes it roughly the 6,748th most common surname in Britain. Around 17 in a million people in Britain are named Guilfoyle.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Guilfoyle
- Kimberly Guilfoyle - American journalist, attorney
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.