MacKelvie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Etymology of MacKelvie

The Irish surname MacKelvie originally appeared in Gaelic as "Mac Fhiodhbhuidhe," which is probably derived from the word "fiodhbhadhach," referring to "a woodman."

Early Origins of the MacKelvie family

Early History of the MacKelvie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacKelvie research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1100 and 1563 are included under the topic Early MacKelvie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacKelvie Spelling Variations

Those scribes in Ireland during the Middle Ages recorded names as they sounded. Consequently, in this era many people were recorded under different spellings each time their name was written down. Research on the MacKelvie family name revealed numerous spelling variations, including McEvoy, Evoy, McGilloway, McVeagh, McVeigh, McAvoy, McElwee, McElwy and many more.

Early Notables of the MacKelvie family

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

Migration of the MacKelvie family

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the MacKelvie family relocated to North American shores quite early: James McKelvey, who arrived in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1767; David McKelvey, who was naturalized in South Carolina in 1805; Hugh McKelvey, who was naturalized in Allegheny Co., PA in 1807.