MCILROY
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Ilroy, Mcilroy
McIlroy is a surname of Celtic provenance, with roots in both Ireland and Scotland. The name derives from the Gaelic Mac Giolla Ruaidh, composed of Mac meaning “son of”, giolla meaning “youth” or “servant”, and ruaidh meaning “red‑haired”. Consequently the literal translation of the surname is “son of the red‑haired servant” or “son of the red‑haired follower”. It is widely accepted that the original bearer of the name was distinguished by red hair, a rare trait among the predominantly dark‑haired Irish population.
The earliest surviving orthographic evidence of the name is recorded as Michael M'Gilrey in the Ancient Charters of the Earl of Morton in 1376, during the reign of King Robert XI of Scotland (1371–1390). A later entry in 1488 documents Michael M'Ylroye, who served as the baillie of Ayr. In Ireland the surname first appears in County Fermanagh, where toponyms such as Ballymackilroy are preserved; parallel place names are also found in County Tyrone and County Antrim. The Scottish branch is traditionally situated in Ballantrae, Ayrshire.
Over the centuries the spelling of the surname has diversified extensively. Recorded variants include: MacIlroy, MacElroy, McElroy, McLeroy, McGilroy, McAlroy, McAlvey, MacElvey, McKelvie, McKelvy, McLevie, McLevy, McIlrath, McIlraith, MacIlrae, McIlray, and McElree. Such orthographic variation is typical of surnames that were anglicised over the past millennium.
In the annals of Irish history, the McIlroy clan is frequently mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters. The Reverend John McElroy (1782–1877) is recorded as a participant in the United Irishmen uprising of 1798 and later became known in America as a church builder. Another documented individual is Mary McElree, registered in Maghera, County Derry, on 5 June 1845, and James McLevie, who appears in Banbridge, County Down, on 20 February 1865.
In contemporary demographic statistics the surname retains a high concentration in Ulster. Within Northern Ireland it ranks as the 26th most common surname, whereas in Scotland it is positioned at 134th and in England at 384th. Across the United States, the name is most frequently encountered in Pennsylvania (45th most common) and New York (70th), with additional populous occurrences in Massachusetts, Ohio, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. In Canada the surname is the 39th most common in British Columbia, 40th in Alberta, 49th in Ontario, and 61st in Quebec.
Notable individuals bearing the surname include the Victoria Cross recipient Sir Wilfred McIlroy, the professional golfer Rory McIlroy, and the actor Paul McIlroy. Their achievements have contributed to the modern recognition of the name in various fields.
Today the surname McIlroy is widely distributed beyond the British Isles, found in Australia, the United States, Canada, and across Europe, a pattern that reflects the historical migrations of Irish and Scottish peoples during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Typical given names associated with the McIlroy surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Robert
- Stephen
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Anne
- Carol
- Catherine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Hazel
- Jean
- Kathleen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Patricia
- Sandra
- 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 McIlroy in...
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There are approximately 2,438 people named McIlroy in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,574th most common surname in Britain. Around 37 in a million people in Britain are named McIlroy.
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 McIlroy
- Rory McIlroy - Northern Irish golfer
- Sammy McIlroy - Northern Irish football player
- James McIlroy - Surgeon (1879 to 1968)
- James McIlroy - Musician
- Jimmy McIlroy - Northern Irish football player (1931 to 2018)
- James McIlroy - Athlete
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.