Contents [hide]

McClure History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

McClure History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

McClure comes from the ancient Dalriadan clans of Scotland's west coast and Hebrides islands. The name comes from the Gaelic word Mac-Giolla-Uidhir, which literally means son of the pale youth or son of Odhar's servant. 1

Early Origins of the McClure family

The surname McClure was first found in Ayrshire and Galloway, where John McLur and Robert McLure were first listed as followers of the Earl of Casilis in 1526. A few years later in 1532, Tomas Maklure was sergeant of Assize in Carrick. Interestingly, the earliest evidence of a Clan piper was Robert MacLure who was piper to the chief of the Buchanans in 1600. 1

Early History of the McClure family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McClure research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1660, 1720, 1723, 1729, 1807, 1857, 1873 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McClure History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McClure 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 McClure has appeared as MacClure, MacLure, MacCloor, McLeur, McCloor and others.

Early Notables of the McClure family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was J. Cluer, an engraver and publisher of music, who carried on business in Bow Churchyard, London, in the middle of the first...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McClure Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McClure Ranking

In the United States, the name McClure is the 653^rd most popular surname with an estimated 44,766 people with that name. 2

Migration of the McClure family to Ireland

Some of the McClure family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 139 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McClure migration to the United States +

Many of the ancestors of Dalriadan families who arrived in North America still live in communities along the east coast of Canada and the United States. In the American War of Independence many of the original settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the ancestors of many Scots began recovering their collective national heritage through Clan societies, highland games, and other patriotic events. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name McClure or a variant listed above:

McClure Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Charles McClure, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1713 3
Eleanor McClure, who arrived in Virginia in 1740 3
Agnes McClure, who landed in Augusta County, Va in 1740 3
Andrew McClure, who arrived in Virginia in 1740 3
James McClure, who arrived in Augusta County, Va in 1740 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McClure Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Ann McClure, aged 45, who landed in New York, NY in 1805 3
David McClure, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1805 3
Patrick McClure, aged 45, who landed in New York in 1812 3
Robert McClure, aged 48, who arrived in Tennessee in 1812 3
Thomas McClure, aged 23, who landed in New York in 1812 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McClure Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

A. G. McClure, aged 38, who immigrated to the United States, in 1907
Abraham McClure, aged 19, who landed in America from Antrim, Ireland, in 1907
Andrew McClure, aged 35, who settled in America from Antrim, in 1907
Andrew James McClure, aged 32, who immigrated to the United States from London, England, in 1909
Andrew McClure, aged 55, who immigrated to the United States, in 1911
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McClure migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McClure Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Samuel McClure, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749-1752

McClure Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Ann McClure, aged 18, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Cupid" in 1834
Mr. Donald McClure who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Euclid" departing 1st June 1847 from Glasgow, Scotland; the ship arrived on 29th July 1847 but he died on board 4
Mr. Edward McClure, aged 2 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Sobraon" departing 8th May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 29th June 1847 but he died on board 4
Mr. Robert McClure who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Sobraon" departing 8th May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 29th June 1847 but he died on board 4

McClure migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

McClure Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Charles McClure, aged 24, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Reliance" 5
Mr. John McClure, Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 27th August 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 6
Anne McClure, aged 20, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Australia"

McClure 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:

McClure Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. McClure, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Evening Star" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 14th October 1860 7
Mr. Jason M. McClure, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Evening Star" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 14th October 1860 7
Mrs. McClure, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Evening Star" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 14th October 1860 7
Mr. A. G. McClure, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Evening Star" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 14th October 1860 7
Mr. George McClure, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Evening Star" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 14th October 1860 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name McClure (post 1700) +

Vicky Lee McClure MBE (b. 1983), English actress, model and presenter, best known for her roles as Detective Inspector Kate Fleming in the BBC series Line of Duty (2012-2021) and Lol Jenkins in Shane Meadows' film This Is England (2006) and its Channel 4 sequel mini-series This Is England '86 (2010), This Is England '88 (2011), and This Is England '90 (2015)
Douglas Osborne "Doug" McClure (1935-1995), American actor, best known for his role as the cowboy Trampas on The Virginian (1962-1971)
Eric Wayne McClure (1978-2021), American professional stock car racing driver and team owner
Wilbert McClure (1938-2020), American two-time gold medalist boxer from Toledo, Ohio
Michael McClure (1932-2020), American poet, playwright, songwriter, and novelist
Victoria Murden McClure (b. 1963), American explorer and adventurer, the first woman and the first American to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean (1999)
Samuel Sidney McClure (1857-1949), Irish-born, American publisher, co-founder and ran McClure's Magazine from 1893 to 1911
Robert Craig McClure (b. 1952), American former Major League Baseball pitcher and former pitching coach
James Albertus "Jim" McClure (1924-2011), American politician, United States Senator from Idaho (1973-1991)
Hal McClure (1921-2013), American journalist for the Associated Press
... (Another 94 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the McClure family +

RMS Lusitania

Miss Margaret Mcclure, American 2nd Class passenger from New York, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 8

The McClure 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: Spectemur agendo
Motto Translation: Let us be judged by our actions.

Citations +

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)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 86)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) RELIANCE 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Reliance.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/