Surname Kilroy - Meaning and Origin

Kilroy: What does the surname Kilroy mean?

Kilroy is a surname of Irish origin. The name is derived from the Gaelic 'Mac Giolla Ruaidh', which translates roughly to 'son of the red-haired servant'. It belongs to a category of surnames known as 'hereditary surnames', which are formed based on the profession or personal characteristics of an ancestor. Similar to many old Gaelic names, Kilroy has gone through various changes throughout the ages. The name Kilroy is first found in County Mayo (Irish: Maigh Eo), located on the West coast of the Republic of Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they had been settled from ancient times. Additionally, Kilroy has also gained popular recognition due to the phrase "Kilroy was here", made famous globally by U.S. soldiers during World War II. Despite its roots and historical changes, Kilroy continues to be a relatively common surname in Ireland today.

Kilroy: Where does the name Kilroy come from?

The last name Kilroy is found all over the world today. In the United States, Kilroy is common in states like Massachusetts, where it originated, and New York, where many Irish and Irish-American immigrants in the 19th century adopted the name after hearing stories of a graffiti character named ‘Kilroy was here’ that was supposedly left behind by American soldiers during World War II as they traveled around Europe. Today, Kilroy is also commonly found in Ireland, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

In Ireland, the name is thought to have been in use since the 10th century and is associated with O'Clerigh, a surname found in County Monaghan. It was also later adopted by the different branches of Kilroy families that scattered across the Irish countryside following the English invasion in the 16th century.

In Canada, Kilroy is typically found in Ontario and parts of Quebec. It is thought that Kilroy was brought over during the Potato Famine by Irish immigrants hoping to start a new life in the Great White North.

Kilroy is also found in Australia, mainly stemming from Irish settlers who arrived in the early 1800s, while in the United Kingdom, the name is believed to have arrived from the Irish during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Certainly, the widespread use of this last name today is a testament to the global reach of Irish emigration throughout the centuries.

Variations of the surname Kilroy

The surname Kilroy is of multiple origins and has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.

Originally, the name was an Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Cíorróig. The original pronunciation of the Gaelic form is O KEER-ree, and variations include O CARRA or O CARROW. The surname is derived from the medieval personal name Cíorroig, which is composed of two elements: the first cíor, meaning "one who testifies," and the second element being roig, meaning "red."

In Ireland, variants of Kilroy are often spelled as O Kilroy, O Kilree, O Kilroe, O Kilrae, O Killroi, Kilree, Kilray, Kilry, Keelroy, and Killroy.

The Kilroy surname is also found in England and Scotland, where it is believed to be a variant of the name Kilpatrick, which has the same Gaelic origin and is an Anglicization of Mac Giolla Phádraig—“son of the follower of Patrick.” The surname Kilpatrick in turn has a number of variants, such as Kilpatrick, Kilpatric, Kilpattrick, Gilpatrick, Gilpattrick, and Kilpatrik.

In Wales, the surname Kilroy may have derived from the Welsh name Cyllru. It is also possible that the name was brought by immigrants to Britain from the continent. In Germany, the surname appears as Kilroyer, Kilre, Kilrey, Kilri, Kilro, and Kilrow, and in Sweden, Kilrog.

Overall, the surname Kilroy is of multiple origins, and a large variety of variants, spellings, and surnames exists with the same origin.

Famous people with the name Kilroy

• Bill Kilroy: a professional American baseball pitcher during the 20s and 30s who played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1926-1929. 2 .S.J. Kilroy: an American soldier who served during World War II and was the subject of the famous "Kilroy Was Here" graffiti that spread widely across US military bases around the world.
• Susie Kilroy: an international basketball player who represented Ireland in the 2002 World Championship and the 2004 Olympics.
• Angus Kilroy: a Hollywood actor known for his role in the 2003 movie Into the Wild.
• Sean Kilroy: a professional Canadian ice hockey player who competed in the 1992 Olympics and has played professionally in Sweden and Finland.
• Ray Kilroy: an Irish American musician and singer who performed with the popular folk band the Kilroy Brothers.
• Wes Kilroy: an American artist known for his digitally altered photographs and his unique style of portraiture.
• Declan Kilroy: a British pop star who has released several albums and singles over the past two decades.
• Cillian Kilroy: a physicist and inventor who developed the Kilroyoid, an electrical device used in communications technology.
• Paul Kilroy: a world-renowned sculptor who is best known for his work in the fields of modern art and public sculpture.

Other surnames

Kilroe