Show ContentsMcIllroy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name McIllroy has seen many modifications since the time in which it was first devised. In Gaelic it appeared as Mac Giolla Rua, which means son of the red-haired youth.

Early Origins of the McIllroy family

The surname McIllroy was first found in County Clare (Irish: An Clár) located on the west coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, where they were the Chiefs of Clonderlaw, conjecturally descended from Tiobraid, son of Iral Glunmhar, King of Ulster. 1

Early History of the McIllroy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McIllroy research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1376, 1638 and 1640 are included under the topic Early McIllroy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McIllroy Spelling Variations

In the Middle Ages, a name was often recorded under several different spelling variations during the life of its bearer. Literacy was rare at that time and none of the languages to be found in the British Isles had achieved any great semblance of standardization. Variations of the name McIllroy found include Gilroy, Kilroy, MacGilroy, MacElroy, MacGreevy, Greevy, MacGilrea, McGilroy, McElroy, McGreevy, McGilrea, MacIlrea, McIlrea, Magilroy, Magilrea, MacElry, McElry, MacIlree and many more.

Early Notables of the McIllroy family

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


New Zealand McIllroy 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:

McIllroy Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr McILLROY, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1844


  1. O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)


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