Kilcrease History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The background history of the name Kilcrease starts in ancient Scotland among the Pictish people. The name Kilcrease is derived from the Gaelic name Gille Criosd, which became Gillacrist in Middle Gaelic. The name literally means "servant of Christ." 1

Early Origins of the Kilcrease family

The surname Kilcrease 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 Kilcrease family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kilcrease 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 Kilcrease History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kilcrease Spelling Variations

Prior to the invention of the printing press in the last hundred years, documents were basically unique. Names were written according to sound, and often appeared differently each time they were recorded. Spelling variations of the name Kilcrease include Gilchrist, Gilchristson, Ghilchriston, Gillchrist, Gillcrest, Gilcrist and many more.

Early Notables of the Kilcrease 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 Kilcrease Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Kilcrease family to Ireland

Some of the Kilcrease 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.

Kilcrease migration to the United States +

The freedom of the North American colonies was enticing, and many Scots left to make the great crossing. It was a long and hard journey, but its reward was a place where there was more land than people and tolerance was far easier to come by. Many of these people came together to fight for a new nation in the American War of Independence, while others remained loyal to the old order as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of Scots in North America have recovered much of this heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and other such organizations. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important and early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Kilcrease:

Kilcrease Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Ann Kilcrease, aged 20, Irish settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "New York" in 1850 3
Thomas Kilcrease, aged 26, Irish settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Alabama" in 1889 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Kilcrease (post 1700) +

Kathia Kilcrease, American cinematographer, known for The UpLift: Ubaka Hil (2023)
Worth Kilcrease, American producer, known for This Place (2008)
Bronwyn Kilcrease, American actress, known for Foxglove Candy, In Their Eyes and Coach Von Pidgeon (2019)
David Kilcrease, American researcher with the Los Alamos National Laboratory
Andrew Thomas "A.T." Kilcrease (1879-1946), American politician who served a single term in the Arizona State Senate during the 7th Arizona State Legislature, holding the seat from Pinal County (1925-1926)
William Edward Kilcrease (d. 1860), American politician, who served in the Florida House of Representatives in 1850 and the Florida Senate in 1852, 1854, and 1855 and owned cotton plantations in Gadsden County, namesake of the Kilcrease Light Artillery, a Confederate army artillery company
Bethany Kilcrease, British author of The Great Church Crisis and the End of English Erastianism, 1898-1906

Citations +

Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
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)
Ellis Island Search retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result