Surname MacKilgrew - Meaning and Origin
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MacKilgrew: What does the surname MacKilgrew mean?
The surname MacKilgrew is derived from the Scottish Clan Donald – one of the oldest and most famous clans in Scottish history. The clan’s name comes from its eponymous founder – Somerled, who was a descendant of the ancient kings of Dalriada in the 6th century. In 1263, he and his sons were granted the Isle of Arran and henceforth he became known as ‘MacKilgrew’ or ‘Son of Somerled’. The clan is known for its strong ties to the land, its resourcefulness and loyalty to one another – a trait which has permeated the MacKilgrews over time.
Generally speaking, the first MacKilgrews were a landed gentry in Scotland. They were primarily concentrated in the coastal regions of Scotland as well as on the outer isles, fishing and farming the land. The MacKilgrews are renowned for their steadfastness and bravery, having taken part in notable battles, such as the Battle of Bannockburn.
Today, descendants of the MacKilgrew clan are spread throughout the world, and many of them proudly bear the surname MacKilgrew. They continue to live by the same values of honor and courage that their ancestors had – a testament to the strength of the MacKilgrews’ influence in history.
Order DNA origin analysisMacKilgrew: Where does the name MacKilgrew come from?
The last name MacKilgrew is primarily found in the Scottish Highlands. Records of the name go back as far as the 15th century, and it has been suggested to be derived from MacGilleBride - a patronymic name for someone related to a man called Gille Bride.
Today, the name is found across Scotland and can be seen in abundance in the Scottish Highlands. It is particularly popular in the Highlands towns of Inverness, Elgin and Perth. The name is also common in other parts of the country, including Fife, Ayrshire and Stirlingshire.
Further afield, the last name MacKilgrew is also found in Canada and the United States. In Canada, particularly strong concentrations of the name can be found in Canada's Maritime provinces. In the United States, the name is most common in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the highest concentration of the name MacKilgrew was in the United Kingdom, making up 1 in every 15,400 people, with Scotland the most popular region.
Overall, the last name MacKilgrew is most common in the Scottish Highlands, but is also found throughout the British Isles and in parts of North America.
Variations of the surname MacKilgrew
MacKilgrew is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Gilghriú. This surname is derived from the Irish personal name Giolla, which means “servant or devotee”, and also from the word griú, meaning “blood kin”.
MacKilgrew is also found as MacGillgrew, MacGillgreet, MacGillkry, MacKelgrew, MacKylgrew, MacIlgrew, McIlgry and Kilgrew. There are also other variants that have developed with different spellings over the years including MacKilroy, McKilgrave, MacKilroe, MacKilgrie, MacKelroy, Stepkilgree, Kilgie and Kylgree.
The prefix “Mac”, meaning “son of” originally referred to a patronymic spelling, indicating that the bearer of the name was the descendant of a certain person. Over the years, some of these surnames have dropped the prefix, while others still carry it.
MacKilgrew is a recognized Irish clan name and is also found in Scotland, where the name is primarily associated with the Scottish Lowlands as well as the Isle of Skye. The etymology of the MacKilgrew surname is indicative of its original Celtic origins. This surname also likely has roots in Scotland, as the MacKilgrews are a sept of the Clan Donnachaidh.
Over time, the MacKilgrew name has spread around the world, with the main countries today being Scotland, Ireland, England and the United States. The spelling, as with most surnames, has become varied and these various spellings often correspond to different branches of the same family.
Famous people with the name MacKilgrew
- Priscilla MacKilgrew: Scottish actress
- Kirsteen MacKilgrew: Scottish television presenter
- Neil MacKilgrew: Scottish actor
- Rob MacKilgrew: Scottish composer
- Graham MacKilgrew: Scottish entertainer
- Calum MacKilgrew: Scottish artist/musician
- Mark MacKilgrew: Scottish entrepreneur
- Rory MacKilgrew: Scottish musician
- Angus MacKilgrew: Scottish actor
- John MacKilgrew: Scottish playwright