Show ContentsMylchreest History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The roots of the name Mylchreest are found among the Pictish clans of ancient Scotland. The name comes from the Gaelic name Gille Criosd, which became Gillacrist in Middle Gaelic. The name literally means "servant of Christ." 1

Early Origins of the Mylchreest family

The surname Mylchreest was first found in Berwickshire where the first records of the family were as a forename. "Gillecrist mac Finguni and Gillecrist mac Cormaic are witnesses to Gaelic grants in the Book of Deer before 1132. Gillecrist mac Gillewinin witnessed the charter by Uchtredus filius Fergusi of the church of Colmanele to the Abbey of Holyrood c. 1165, and mention is made of the lands of Gilcriste Kide near the river Nethan c. 1180-1203." 2

Early History of the Mylchreest family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mylchreest research. Another 328 words (23 lines of text) covering the years 1057, 1179, 1190, 1200, 1204, 1219, 1231, 1282, 1296, 1302, 1304, 1343, 1707, 1732, 1774 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Mylchreest History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mylchreest Spelling Variations

Although Medieval Scotland lacked a basic set of spelling rules, which meant that scribes recorded names according to their sounds it was not uncommon for the names of a father and son to be recorded differently. As a result, there are many spelling variations of Scottish single names. Mylchreest has been written Gilchrist, Gilchristson, Ghilchriston, Gillchrist, Gillcrest, Gilcrist and many more.

Early Notables of the Mylchreest family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was Ebenezer Gilchrist (1707-1774), Scottish physician, born at Dumfries in 1707, studied medicine at Edinburgh, London, and Paris, and graduated...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mylchreest Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Mylchreest family to Ireland

Some of the Mylchreest family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 58 words (4 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 Mylchreest family

Thousands of Scots left their home country to travel to Ireland or Australia, or to cross the Atlantic for the North American colonies. The difficult crossing was an enormous hurdle, but those who survived found freedom and opportunity in ample measure. Some Scots even fought for their freedom in the American War of Independence. This century, their ancestors have become aware of the illustrious history of the Scots in North America and at home through Clan societies and other organizations. Passenger and immigration lists show many early and influential immigrants bearing the name Mylchreest: Robert Gilchrist, who settled in New Jersey in 1685; Angus Gilchrist, who settled in Wilmington N.C. in 1774; along with Henry and John and his wife Marion, Lawrence Gilchrist, who settled in Boston in 1766.


Contemporary Notables of the name Mylchreest (post 1700) +

  • Captain James Mylchreest (b. 1881), British captain of the SS Fenella when it was grounded in the Menai Straights Incident in 1884
  • Jim Mylchreest, New Zealand politician, Mayor of the Waipa District Council
  • Wilfrid Mylchreest Simmonds (1890-1967), Australian politician


  1. Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
  2. 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)


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