McGil History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland
• Scotland

Early Origins of the McGil family

Early History of the McGil family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McGil research. Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McGil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McGil Spelling Variations

During the Middle Ages, a standardized literary language known by the general population of Ireland was a thing of fiction. When a person's name was recorded by one of the few literate scribes, it was up that particular scribe to decide how to spell an individual's name. So a person could have several spelling variations of his name recorded during a single lifetime. Research into the name McGil revealed many variations, including MacHale, McHale, MacHail, McHail, McCale, MacCale and others.

Early Notables of the McGil family

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

Migration of the McGil family

Thousands of Irish left in their homeland in the 18th and 19th centuries to escape the religious and political discrimination they experienced primarily at the hands of the English, and in the search of a plot of land to call their own. These immigrants arrived at the eastern shores of North America, early on settling and breaking the land, and, later, building the bridges, canals, and railroads essential to the emerging nations of United States and Canada. Many others would toil for low wages in the dangerous factories of the day. Although there had been a steady migration of Irish to North America over these years, the greatest influx of Irish immigrants came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name McGil or a variant listed above: Anthony, James, John, Martin, Patrick, Peter and Richard MacHale all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.