Surname Wyllie. - Meaning and Origin

Wyllie.: What does the surname Wyllie. mean?

The surname Wyllie is of Scottish origin and is derived from the Old Scots Gaelic name Mac Giolla Riabhaigh, meaning "son of Riabhach's devotee". It is primarily found in the Borders region of Scotland, where it likely originated. The name is believed to be derived from the Devotee of St. Rule (Riabhach).

The surname spread throughout Scotland during the medieval period and was established in neighbouring England by the C17th. As the surname spread, various other spellings became adopted including Wylye, Wyllie, Wyley, Wyly, and Willey, as individuals changed the spelling of their surname to adapt to their new region.

Today, the surname remains popular in Scotland, and is also present throughout Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Wales, the United States, Canada and Australia. The most common spelling is Wyllie however the variant spellings have also been widely adopted.

The name itself is derived from an Old Scottish Gaelic personal name, which in turn may be derived from the Old Norse given name Guðleifr, meaning “God's heir”. It is likely that an ancestor of the Wyllie family first adopted the name out of devotion to the Saint Rule, however it later became associated with this pagan idea which provided it with a more fitting Scottish origin.

Wyllie.: Where does the name Wyllie. come from?

The surname Wyllie is a Scottish variant of the equally old surname Wylie and is found mostly in Scotland today. It is a very old surname and is believed to have originated in Netherlanders who migrated to Scotland in the 11th century.

The record of the surname Wyllie began in 1249 when Killedeus de Wyllie, a state official, was recorded in "Originales Scotiæ," in Scotalnd. Farther records of the name include James Wyllie in the "Poll Tax of Yorkshire" in 1379, and William Wyllie of Edinburghshire in 1296.

Wyllie, however, is still a pretty rare surname. According to the 2019 census, the total population of people who bear this last name in the UK is only 92, and in the US, the total estimated population with this surname is even lesser with just a mere 28 people.

Due to its rarity, most Wyllie descendants still reside in the original Scottish homeland. Notable Wyllie clans can be traced back to environments such as the Scottish Highlands. Besides, descendents of this Scottish surname have also been documented in countries such as Canada, Australia, and the United States.

All versions of the Wyllie surname originate from the Scottish culture and have a strong deep attachment to Scottish heritage and traditions.

Variations of the surname Wyllie.

The surname Wyllie is of British origin and is derived from the personal name William, with a variety of other variations including Willey, Wyley, Wyly, Wiley, Willee, Willy, and Wylie.

The Gaelic spelling of the surname is usually given as Uilleam, derived from the Norman term William. An alternative Irish form is O'Ghille, which is derived from the original Gaelic term and is considered to have originated in Scotland where the Anglicized form of the name is often spelled Gille or Gilley. In Wales, the Welsh spelling of the name is Gwilym.

In England, the Wyllie surname is most commonly found in the counties of Yorkshire, Durham, Lancashire, and Cheshire. In Scotland, the most common variation is Wyly (Wyllie is also found there).

Americanized versions of the surname include Wylie, Wyley, Willy, and Willey. Another variant, Wiley, is primarily found in the South Central and Southeastern regions of the United States.

Over time, there have been various spellings and variants of the Wyllie surname, but all are derived from William, the Norman form of the same name.

Famous people with the name Wyllie.

• John Wyllie: Scottish footballer who played for Hearts, Airdrieonians, Dundee United, Rangers and Queen of the South.
• Christina Wyllie: Scottish sculptor and the first woman to be elected to the Royal Society of British Sculptors.
• Peter Wyllie: English footballer who played for Luton Town, Millwall and Gillingham.
• Heloise (Lolly) Wyllie: Artist and ceramicist whose work was featured in several solo and group exhibitions in Australia.
• William Wyllie: English painter, etcher and illustrator known for his maritime-themed works.
• James Wyllie: Writer and poet, who wrote about Scotland and its culture.
• Robert Wyllie: Military surgeon in the British Army.
• Robert Wyllie: Scottish landowner and politician in the 19th century.
• William Wyllie: English architect who designed structures for college and university campuses.
• Janet Wyllie: Scottish botanist and lecturer at the University of Edinburgh.

Other surnames

Wyllie