Surname Macilreach - Meaning and Origin
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Macilreach: What does the surname Macilreach mean?
The surname Macilreach is derived from the Irish Gaelic Mac Giolla Riabhaigh, and translates as “son of the devotee [or follower] of St. Riabhaigh”. The name is derived from the forename Riabhaigh, which was a commonly used given name in medieval Ireland, and stems from the personal name Riaghan or Rioc, which is thought to have originated from rich or power.
Macilreach is a relatively uncommon Irish surname and is mainly found in the County Donegal area in the far north-west of Ireland. Reagh was the name of numerous small territories throughout Ireland in ancient times. The Macilreach sept of the Maguire clan was a powerful family in the area around Castle Swilly, one of the main strongholds of the Maguire clan. The Macilreach family were influential in the region for a very long period of time.
Families bearing the surname Macilreach had a tendency to move widely, so the name is now also found in many different parts of the world. The anger-derived first name pronounces as mac-GILLA-ree-ak and is found today mostly in the United States and in the United Kingdom. The majority of the emigrants who first brought the name to North America arrived in the late 1800s.
Overall, the name Macilreach is a classic Irish surname, derived from ancient Gaelic and connected to the highly influential Maguire clan. It symbolizes an important piece of the family history of those who carry this name today.
Order DNA origin analysisMacilreach: Where does the name Macilreach come from?
The last name Macilreach is most commonly found in the United States and Ireland. In the U.S., Macilreach can be found in many states, with concentrations in California, Texas, New York, and Illinois. In Ireland, the name is more concentrated in Donegal, Cork, and Kerry.
The exact origin of the surname remains unknown. However, it may have originated from an Stuart Scots Gaelic phrase, Maol Iarach, meaning "servant of judgment" or "following order". Alternatively, some suggest that it originated from the Gaelic Muilreach meaning "son of blessedness".
The earliest known mention of Macilreach is believed to be that of Kenneth Macilreach in the 1600s. His descendants spread to many parts of Europe before settling in the United States. They eventually established Takilreach, which is now a farm in Minnesota, as the family's settlement.
Today, Macilreach is a popular surname amongst many descendants of the early settlers. It is likely that more individuals bearing this name will be found in the future as more people uncover their ancestral roots.
Variations of the surname Macilreach
The surname Macilreach is of Irish origin, and has multiple variants, spellings, and alternate surnames derived from it.
The Macilreach surname is most commonly spelled as MacIlreagh, MacIllree, Mac Ilraith, and Mac Ilreath. It also has two phonetic variants, MacCree and MacFlee, which are variations of the pronunciation depending on the region.
The ancestral origin of the surname Macilreach is derived from the Gaelic name Mac Giolla Riabhaich. The literal translation of the name is Son of the follower of St. Riabhach, or Son of a Wolf. Alternative spellings of the name are MacGillriabhach, MacGillrias, MacGillray, and Mac Gillray.
Other surnames related to Macilreach include MacKee, MacKeefrey, MacKiefroy, MacIlroy, MacElree, and MacElearie.
Ultimately the variants of the Macilreach surname derive from a single family lineage in Scotland, and the same origin of Gaelic ancestral roots.
Famous people with the name Macilreach
- Liam Macilreach: Singer and songwriter of Celtic folk music, best known for the single “The Fair Haired Lass”.
- Niall Macilreach: Award-winning chef and television personality, most widely known for his appearances as a judge on the cooking competition show “MasterChef Ireland”.
- Finn Macilreach: Professional surfer and surfer lifestyle vlogger, best known for his daily surfing videos that feature breath-taking waves from all over the world.
- Eoghan Macilreach: Member of the Irish parliament and leader of the Green Party of Ireland since 2019.
- Aedan Macilreach: Lead vocalist and founder of the folk-rock band “The Fair Haired Lads”, whose singles have achieved chart success in Ireland.
- Oonagh Macilreach: Award-winning Irish-language poet, known for her collections of wildly imaginative and lyrical contemporary writing.
- Conor Macilreach: Professional rugby union player, representing Ireland internationally and competing for the Leinster Rugby team.
- Hugh Macilreach: Irish folk musician and actor, featured as a guest vocalist on “The Fair Haired Lads” records and renown locally for his appearances on stage in plays and musicals.
- Cormac Macilreach: Professional photographer and journalist, frequently sought out to document events, people, and places of historical interest and beauty all around the world.
- Mairead Macilreach: Gaelic football player, one of the most decorated players in the history of the sport, winning Multiple All-Ireland medals with her county team.