Show ContentsMcGlinchey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The original Gaelic form of McGlinchey was Mag Loingsigh, which is derived from the word loingseach, which means mariner.

Early Origins of the McGlinchey family

The surname McGlinchey was first found in Ulster (Irish: Ulaidh), where this family held a family seat since ancient times.

Early History of the McGlinchey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McGlinchey research. Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McGlinchey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McGlinchey Spelling Variations

In the Middle Ages many people were recorded under different spellings each time their name was written down. Research on the McGlinchey family name revealed numerous spelling variations, including McGlinchey, McGlinchy, MacGlinchey, MacGlinchy, MacClincey, MacClincy, MacClinchey, MacClinchy, MacGlinghy, McGlincey, McGlincy, McGlinsey and many more.

Early Notables of the McGlinchey family

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


United States McGlinchey migration to the United States +

Thousands of Irish left in their homeland in the 18th and 19th centuries to escape the religious and political discrimination they experienced primarily at the hands of the English, and in the search of a plot of land to call their own. These immigrants arrived at the eastern shores of North America, early on settling and breaking the land, and, later, building the bridges, canals, and railroads essential to the emerging nations of United States and Canada. Many others would toil for low wages in the dangerous factories of the day. Although there had been a steady migration of Irish to North America over these years, the greatest influx of Irish immigrants came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name McGlinchey or a variant listed above:

McGlinchey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Andrew McGlinchey, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1832
  • James McGlinchey, aged 30, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1869 [1]

Canada McGlinchey migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McGlinchey Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • John McGlinchey, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Edward Reid" in 1833
  • Peter McGlinchey, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Perseus" in 1834
  • Peggy McGlinchey, aged 20, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Perseus" in 1834
  • James McGlinchey, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Perseus" in 1834
  • Mr. Anthony McGlinchey, aged 2 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Christiana" departing 8th April 1847 from Londonderry, Ireland; the ship arrived on 10th June 1847 but he died on board [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand McGlinchey 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:

McGlinchey Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Robert McGlinchey, aged 28, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1879
  • Eleanor McGlinchey, aged 29, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1879
  • John McGlinchey, aged 2, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1879

Contemporary Notables of the name McGlinchey (post 1700) +

  • Mike McGlinchey (1944-1997), American ninth head football coach for the Frostburg State University Bobcats in Frostburg, Maryland
  • Michael "Mike" McGlinchey, American eighth head college football coach for the Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils
  • Herbert J. McGlinchey (1904-1992), American politician, Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Pennsylvania Senate (1965-1972)
  • William V. McGlinchey Jr., American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Delaware State House of Representatives 10th District, 1998 [3]
  • Herbert Joseph McGlinchey (1904-1992), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania 6th District, 1945-47; Defeated, 1946, 1948, 1956; Member of Pennsylvania State Senate 5th District, 1965-72 [3]
  • Diane McGlinchey, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 2008 [3]
  • Charles J. McGlinchey, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Ohio State House of Representatives from Tuscarawas County; Elected 1897 [3]
  • Dominic McGlinchey (1954-1994), Irish republican paramilitary with the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)
  • Brian McGlinchey (b. 1977), retired Northern Irish football defender who played from 1995 to 2006, member of the Northern Ireland National Team (1998-1999)
  • Bernard McGlinchey (1932-2013), Irish businessman and Fianna Fáil politician
  • ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. 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)
  2. 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. 87)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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