Show ContentsMcElvaney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the McElvaney family

The surname McElvaney was first found in Dumfries where Thomas Makgilvane was a tenant under Douglas in the barony of Buittle in 1376. The name was derived from the Gaelic Mac Gille Bheathain, meaning 'son of the servant of S. Beathin' (Bean). There are many spelling variations of the name due to the English translation from Gaelic. John Mcilmeyne was a witness in Dumfries in 1477 and Gilbert Makilmeyn de Grummat was listed here in 1503. 1

Allan McYlveine de Grumet who appears as bailie of the Abbey of Crossraguel in 1523 is Alan Makilwene, juror on assize in the bailliary of Carrick in 1532. 1

Early History of the McElvaney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McElvaney research. Another 236 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1526, 1546, 1547, 1566, 1569, 1570, 1574, 1627, 1628, 1674, 1764, 1790, 1797, 1814, 1818, 1831, 1843, 1853, 1871 and 1882 are included under the topic Early McElvaney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McElvaney Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: MacIlvean, MacIlvane, MacIlvenna, MacIlwain, MacIlwaine and many more.

Early Notables of the McElvaney family

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

Ireland Migration of the McElvaney family to Ireland

Some of the McElvaney family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 191 words (14 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McElvaney family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: James, John, Neil, Patrick, William MacIlvain all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860; Alexander, Charles, Daniel, John, Mary, Owen MacIlvaine all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.


Contemporary Notables of the name McElvaney (post 1700) +

  • Rosaleen McElvaney, Irish Lecturer In Psychotherapy, Dublin City University 2
  • Eileen McElvaney, Irish recipient of the Ladies' Gaelic football All Stars Awards in 1998
  • Helena McElvaney, birth name of Helena Connolly from Co. Monaghan, Queen of the Land Festival in 1985
  • Hugh McElvaney, Irish former politician, an independent former Mayor of Monaghan


  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. Rosaleen McElvaney. (Retrieved 2017, January 31) Rosaleen McElvaney. Retrieved from https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=LscymM0AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra


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