Show ContentsMcBride History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

There are many Irish surnames being used today in forms that are quite different than their original, ancient forms. McBride originally appeared in Gaelic as Mac Giolla Bhrighde, which denotes a devotee of St. Brigid.

Early Origins of the McBride family

The surname McBride was first found in Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall), northwest Ireland in the province of Ulster, sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel, where the they are descended from the son of the servant (follower, devotee) of St. Brigit, the virgin Abbess of Kildare who died 525 A.D. The surname was first listed as eranaghs of Raymunterdoney in Donegal, a parish which includes Tory Island. The parish comprises 12,017 statute acres, but more than two-thirds is mountainous. Records show the name was principally found at Gweedore in the seventeenth century.

Early History of the McBride family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McBride research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1440, 1650, 1659, 1718, 1726, 1730, 1778 and 1800 are included under the topic Early McBride History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McBride Spelling Variations

The Middle Ages saw a great number of spelling variations for surnames common to the Irish landscape. One reason for these variations is the fact that surnames were not rigidly fixed by this period because the general population had to rely on local official's understanding of how their name should be spelt, hence spellings in records often changed through a person's lifetime. The following variations for the name McBride were encountered in the archives: MacBride, Kilbride, Gilbride and others.

Early Notables of the McBride family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was

  • David McBride (1726-1778), physician and inventor

McBride World Ranking

In the United States, the name McBride is the 433rd most popular surname with an estimated 64,662 people with that name. [1] However, in Canada, the name McBride is ranked the 817th most popular surname with an estimated 6,558 people with that name. [2] And in Australia, the name McBride is the 954th popular surname with an estimated 4,165 people with that name. [3] New Zealand ranks McBride as 624th with 1,146 people. [4] The United Kingdom ranks McBride as 695th with 9,615 people. [5]


United States McBride migration to the United States +

Ireland became inhospitable for many native Irish families in the 19th centuries. Poverty, lack of opportunities, high rents, and discrimination forced thousands to leave the island for North America. The largest exodus of Irish settlers occurred with the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. For these immigrants the journey to British North America and the United States was long and dangerous and many did not live to see the shores of those new lands. Those who did make it were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest and most powerful nations of the world. These Irish immigrants were not only important for peopling the new settlements and cities, they also provided the manpower needed for the many industrial and agricultural projects so essential to these growing nations. Immigration and passenger lists have documented the arrival of various people bearing the name McBride to North America:

McBride Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Edmund McBride, who arrived in New England in 1731 [6]
  • Alexander McBride, who was recorded in Charlestown, South Carolina in 1767
  • Duncan McBride, who, along with his wife Marion and their nine children, who arrived in New York city in 1775
  • Duncan McBride, aged 46, who landed in New York in 1775 [6]
  • Jenny McBride, aged 4, who arrived in North Carolina in 1775 [6]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
McBride Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Henry McBride, who arrived in America in 1801 [6]
  • Samuel McBride, aged 28, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1803 [6]
  • Sarah McBride, aged 10, who arrived in New Castle, Del in 1804 [6]
  • William McBride, aged 22, who landed in New Castle, Del in 1804 [6]
  • George McBride, aged 26, who arrived in New York in 1807 [6]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada McBride migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McBride Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Anthony McBride, who was listed as a Scottish settler in Ontario, Canada in 1821
  • Mary McBride, who was recorded at the customs house of New Brunswick in 1833
  • Mary McBride, aged 20, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Dorcas Savage" from Belfast, Ireland
  • Patrick McBride, aged 18, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "John & Mary" from Belfast, Ireland
  • Biddy McBride, aged 20, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "John & Mary" from Belfast, Ireland
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia McBride migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

McBride Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Charles Mcbride Mr. settled in New South Wales, Australia in 1823 [7]
  • Mr. John Mcbride, (b. 1825), aged 18, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years for stealing transported aboard the "Forfarshire" on 24th June 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1906 [8]
  • Mrs. Elizabeth Mcbride, (Urquhart), (b. 1819), aged 27, Scottish house maid who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the "Elizabeth and Henry" on 14th September 1846, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1897 [9]
  • James McBride, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constance" in 1849 [10]
  • James McBride, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Constance" [10]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand McBride 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:

McBride Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Betsy Mcbride, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Martaban" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 8th October 1856 [11]
  • Charles McBride, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ernestina" in 1865
  • Elizabeth McBride, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ernestina" in 1865
  • Ellen Jane McBride, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ernestina" in 1865
  • Annie C. McBride, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ernestina" in 1865
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name McBride (post 1700) +

  • Brian Edward McBride (1970-2023), American musician from Irving, Texas, best known as one half of the duo Stars of the Lid
  • William Vincent McBride (1922-2022), American general in the United States Air Force from Wampum, Pennsylvania, Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from 1975 to 1978
  • Christian McBride (b. 1972), American jazz bassist, composer and arranger. He has appeared on more than 300 recordings as a sideman, and is a seven-time Grammy Award winner
  • Lieutenant-General Horace Logan McBride (1894-1962), American Commander in Chief Caribbean Command (1952-1954) [12]
  • Brigadier-General Allan Clay McBride (1885-1944), American Inspector-General at 3rd Army (1940-1941) [13]
  • Thomas Raymond McBride (1914-2001), American former Major League Baseball outfielder
  • Jon Andrew McBride (b. 1943), former NASA astronaut with over 8 days in space [14]
  • Martina McBride (b. 1966), American country music singer
  • Kenneth Faye "Ken" McBride (b. 1935), former American Major League Baseball pitcher
  • Daniel Richard "Danny" Mcbride (b. 1976), American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer
  • ... (Another 79 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Empress of Ireland
  • Mr. William Frederick McBride (d. 1914), British Trimmer from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking [15]
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Patrick Joseph Mcbride, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking [16]
  • Mr. Hugh Mcbride, British Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking [16]
HMS Repulse
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. Peter Mcbride, Irish Trimmer from Ravensdale, Louth, Ireland, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking [18]
Victoria steamboat disaster
  • William McBride, Canadian passenger who was killed in the Victoria steamboat disaster when the boat capsized in 1881


Suggested Readings for the name McBride +

  • Charles R. McBride Memorial by Virginia McBride.
  • McBride, Hubbard Family History by Peggy Arnold.

  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  3. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  4. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  5. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  6. 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)
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/forfarshire
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth-and-henry
  10. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONSTANCE 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Constance.htm
  11. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  12. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2013, February 12) Horace McBride. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/McBride/Horace_Logan/USA.html
  13. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2013, February 12) Allan McBride. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/McBride/Allan_Clay/USA.html
  14. NASA Astronauts Homepage. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Jon McBride. Retrieved from http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/mcbride-ja.html
  15. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  16. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  17. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  18. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/


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