Show ContentsMcClory History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of McClory

What does the name McClory mean?

The west coast of Scotland and the rocky Hebrides islands are the ancient home of the McClory family. The root of their name is the personal name Laurence. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Labhruinn, which means son of Labhran or son of Laurence. The Clan is believed to be descended from Lorn, son of Erc, who landed in Argyll in 503 AD. Although the lineage before the 12th century is difficult to prove, it has been established that the clan held vast territories called the Braes of Balquhidder. They were recorded as being 'all grand, strong men' and, when the Old Kirk at Balquhidder was being repaired, clan members supervised the exhumation of some of the bodies of ancient members of the clan from the graveyard that was a traditional the burial place of the theirs. They found bones measuring 23 and a half inches long, which makes them big men even by today's standards.

Early Origins of the McClory family

The surname McClory was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where in the valley of Loch Voil between the head of Loch Lomond and Loch Earn they were so powerful that it was once said that no one could take his place in church until the MacLaren Clan members were properly seated.

They were kinsmen of the Celtic Earls of Strathearn and their branches were at Balquidder, Strathearn, Auchleskine, Stank, Druach and Lochearnside. They engaged neighboring Clans in lively feuds but always remained faithful in their allegiance to the Royal House of Stewart.

They were hereditary Celtic Abbots of Achtow and derive their name from Abbot Lawrence. For almost a thousand years the gathering place of the Clan has been Creag an Tuirc, the 'Boars Rock' in Achtow, in Balquhidder. This has also been adopted as their slogan.

Early History of the McClory family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McClory research. Another 312 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1344, 1698, 1745 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McClory History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McClory Spelling Variations

Spelling and translation were not standardized practices until the last few centuries. Spelling variations are extremely common among early Scottish names. McClory has been spelled MacLaren, MacLaron, MacLaurin, MacLarty, MacClarence, MacPhater, MacFeeter and many more.

Early Notables of the McClory family

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

Migration of the McClory family to Ireland

Some of the McClory family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 78 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


McClory migration to the United States +

Numerous Scottish settlers settled along the east coast of the colonies that would become the United States and Canada. Others traveled to the open country of the west. At the time of the American War of Independence, some remained in the United States, while those who remained loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The highland games and Clan societies that sprang up across North America in the 20th century have helped many Scots to recover parts of their lost traditions. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first McClorys to arrive in North America:

McClory Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • George McClory, who arrived in New York, NY in 1817 1
  • Patrick McClory, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1851 1
  • Sarah McClory, aged 17, who settled in America, in 1897
McClory Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • James McClory, aged 50, who immigrated to America from Down, Ireland, in 1905
  • Mortimore McClory, aged 40, who immigrated to the United States from Liverpool, England, in 1907
  • William McClory, aged 40, who immigrated to America from Ballynaskeagh, Ireland, in 1908
  • Tillie Elizabeth McClory, aged 43, who immigrated to the United States, in 1909
  • John Billing McClory, aged 4, who landed in America, in 1909
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name McClory (post 1700) +

  • Robert J. McClory (b. 1963), American prelate of the Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Gary in Indiana since 2019
  • Robert McClory (1908-1988), American Republican politician, Member of Illinois State House of Representatives, 1951-52; Member of Illinois State Senate, 1953-62; U.S. Representative from Illinois, 1963-83 2
  • Allan McClory (1899-1983), Scottish footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Harthill Bluebell, Shotts United, Motherwell, Albion Rovers, Montrose and Brideville
  • Sean McClory (1924-2003), Irish actor whose career spanned six decades and included well over 100 films and television series
  • Kevin McClory (1924-2006), Irish screenwriter, film producer and director, best known for producing the James Bond film Thunderball
  • Belinda McClory (b. 1968), Australian film, television and stage actress, mainly known for her role as Switch in The Matrix


The McClory Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Creag an tuirc
Motto Translation: The boar's rock.


  1. 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)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 3) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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