Show ContentsGiller History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Giller is an age-old Dalriadan-Scottish nickname for a young man with tanned skin or with tawny hair with darker streaks. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac 'Ille riabhaich, which means son of the brindled lad. 1

Early Origins of the Giller family

The surname Giller was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where they held a family seat from very early times.

However, the name "is common in Galloway and throughout the Highlands, and was a common personal name in Rreadalbane 200 and more years ago. A money allowance was granted for Andrew, son of John Make Gille Reue, a Scots hostage who died in Carlisle prison in 1300. Thomas M'Gilrewy was a Douglas tenant in the barony of Buittle, 1376, and David McKilwirk (i.e. Mcilwrick) was bailie of Dumfries, 1476. Donald Makgillereoch or Mak-gillereacht appears as witness in 1485 and 1497, and Robert Makgillereach was concerned in the 'spulyie of Kilravock,' 1497. Duncan McGiilereach in Fandownyach had a precept of remission for offences committed by him, 1503, and the obit of Johannes M'Gillerawyth in Glenloquhacy is recorded in 1506. Michae Dow Mcalgerache, an aged Highlander, was convicted of common theft and 'pikry' (petty theft) in Kirkcudbright in 1508 and banished the town." 1

Early History of the Giller family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Giller research. Another 576 words (41 lines of text) covering the years 1502, 1526, 1538, 1539, 1588, 1594, 1596, 1607, 1610, 1614, 1622, 1629, 1632, 1634, 1641, 1672, 1681, 1682, 1684, 1685, 1687, 1708 and 1734 are included under the topic Early Giller History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Giller Spelling Variations

The translation of Gaelic names in the Middle Ages was not a task undertaken with great care. Records from that era show an enormous number of spelling variations, even in names referring to the same person. Over the years Giller has appeared as Macilreach, McIlreach, MacIlreath, McIlreath, Macilriach, McIlriach, Macilraith, McIlraith, Macilaraith, McIlaraith, Macilarith, McIlarith, Macilwraith, McIlwraith, Macilwraithe, McIlwraithe, MacIlwrathe, McIlwrathe, MacKilwrath, McKilwrath, MacKilwrathe, McKilwrathe, Macgfillreich, McFillreich, Macileriach, McIleriach, Macillrich, McIllrich, Macilurick, McIlurick, Macilwrick, McIlwrick, MacIlwrith, McIlwrith, MacIlrevie, McIlrevie, MacKilreve, McKilreve, MacKilrea, McKilrea, MacElrath, McElrath, MacElreath, McElreath, McElvrick, MacElvrick, McIllrie, MacIllrie, MacAlwraith, McAlwraith, Revie, McRevie and many more.

Early Notables of the Giller family

More information is included under the topic Early Giller Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Giller family to Ireland

Some of the Giller family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Giller migration to the United States +

Dalriadan families proliferated in North America. Their descendants still populate many communities in the eastern parts of both the United States and Canada. Some settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists, in the wake of the American War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border have recovered much of their heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and highland games. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Giller or a variant listed above:

Giller Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Giller, who landed in Virginia in 1650 2
Giller Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Martin Giller, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
  • Heinrich Giller, who landed in North Carolina in 1754 2
Giller Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Jacob Giller, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 2

New Zealand Giller migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Giller Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Henry Augustus Giller, (b. 1825), aged 34, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Roman Emperor" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 26th January 1860 3
  • Mrs. Giller, British settler travelling from London with 6 children aboard the ship "Sir George Pollock" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand in January 1863 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Giller (post 1700) +

  • Walter John Giller (1938-2003), American Republican politician, Delegate to Arkansas State Constitutional Convention, 1979; Candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas, 1980 4
  • Michael Giller, American Republican politician, Candidate for New York State Senate 18th District, 1938 4
  • Bert Sue Giller (b. 1948), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Arkansas, 2004 4
  • Doris Giller (1931-1993), Canadian journalist and literary editor for the Montreal Gazette and the Toronto Star, eponym of the Giller Prize, posthumously named after her by her husband Jack Rabinovitch


The Giller Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Per mare per terras
Motto Translation: By sea and by land.


  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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