Surname McKilroy - Meaning and Origin

McKilroy: What does the surname McKilroy mean?

The surname McKilroy is derived from the Gaelic Mac Giolla Ruaidh, which translates to "Son of the Redhaired Servant". It is a patronymic name, which was derived from a given name of a father or ancestor of the bearer. The roots of the name are found primarily in Ulster in the modern-day Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

McKilroy is one of the many Anglicized Irish names that were adopted by Scots-Irish during the 17th and 18th centuries. Such names came about as a result of the Union of Great Britain and Ireland in 1800, which created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. As a result of this union, many Irish names were anglicized in order to make them more easily pronounced and recognizable by the English-speaking majority.

The McKilroy surname is associated primarily with the northern and eastern parts of Ireland, particularly Ulster. The surname has been found in Oriel in what is now modern-day County Monaghan in the Ulster province of the Republic of Ireland. In the early 19th century, McKilroy variations of the name were found in many parts of county Antrim in what is now Northern Ireland.

The name McKilroy is associated with bravery, loyalty, and strength. The surname is both respected by its many bearers and held in high esteem by those who know its history and its meaning—namely, son of the red-haired servant. Although the name's origin story is marked with a certain amount of uncertainty, it is certain that the McKilroys are proud of their name and its history, and rightly so.

McKilroy: Where does the name McKilroy come from?

The last name McKilroy is most commonly found in Ireland, especially in Northern Ireland. In the 2011 census, there were over 7,600 people in Ireland with the surname McKilroy. The origin of the name is thought to come from the Gaelic Mac Giolla Ruaidh, meaning "son of the red haired servant".

The name can also be seen in the United States, particularly the Midwest and Mountain states, in areas with Irish and Scottish ancestry. The name was most likely brought to the United States by Irish immigrants in the 19th century.

McKilroy is also a fairly common name in Canada, with about 1,500 McKilroys recorded in the 2011 census, most of them living in British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

McKilroy is not an overly popular name, but it can still be found scattered around the world where there is a strong Irish and Scottish influence.

Variations of the surname McKilroy

The surname McKilroy is a version of the Irish name Mac Giolla Ruaidh, which means ‘son of the red-haired follower of Christ.’ It is an old Gaelic patronymic name, meaning it descends from a personal name. As such, there are various spelling variations that include McIlroy; Kilroy; McIlwraith; McKillory; McKillar; MacKillary; McKilligan; Kilroy; McKilmurray; Kilmurry; Milroy; and MacKilraith.

Surnames of similar origin include MacCleary, MacScally, McClelland, MacQuillan, MacAvoy, MacMillan, McShane, MacInnes, MacFadden, MacKenna, McLeod, McKegney, MacCormack, MacConnell, McTague, McSharry, MacGregor and McVey.

The surname McKilroy first emerged in north-east Ulster in the 1200s, where members of the McKilroy Clan were prominent. From there, they spread throughout Northern Ireland and Scotland, before branching out to the United States and Canada. In some cases, the surname may be found in northern England and Ireland too.

In the mid-1800s the McKilroys began to emigrate and today, there are settlement in British Columbia, California, New York, Montana and Australia. Some variant spellings of the name can still be found in Scotland, Northern Ireland and England.

Famous people with the name McKilroy

• Rory McIlroy: Professional golfer; won the 2011 US Open and 2014 Open Championship
• Holly McIlroy: British television presenter, radio presenter and producer
• Jordan McIlroy: Australian Rules Football player
• Erin McIlroy: American actress
• Steven McIlroy: British software engineer and computer scientist
• Cormac McIlroy: Irish folk musician
• Patrick McIlroy: Irish singer and musician
• Daryl McIlroy: English actor and comedian
• David McIlroy: Northern Irish poet and academic
• Clay McIlroy: Canadian actor, television producer, and director

Other surnames

McKilrae