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Show ContentsMcGillivary History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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  • Scotland Scotland
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The first family to use the name McGillivary lived among the Pictish people of ancient Scotland. The name McGillivary is derived from a personal name meaning servant of judgement. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Gillebhrath.

Early Origins of the McGillivary family

The surname McGillivary 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, but this family seat was later moved to Iona with the advent of St. Columba. From this original descendancy came Giolla Brighid, known also as Gillibride, or Gillivray. Gillivray's son, Somerled, the 8th and greatest Thane of Argyll, Lord of Kintyre, and founder of the 'Kingdom of the Isles' was instrumental in driving out the invading Norse (Vikings) from his Kingdom, commencing in 1140 AD. However, Somerled, still gave allegiance to the King of Vikings which continued until 1222, long after Somerled's death in 1164 AD. At this time, Alexander II of Scotland routed many of the Clans 'of the Isles', leaving them eastern Scotland in an area from Glasgow north to Inverness to the East Coast. The MacGillivrays were moved northwards to Lochabe. They became closely associated with their neighbors, the McInnises, the McMasters, and the MacEacherns. They also joined the great Pictish confederacy of Clans known as the Clan Chattan, an association of some twenty six Clans, during the time of Ferquhard, 5th Chief of the MacKintosh, and Chief of the Clan Chattan.

Early History of the McGillivary family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McGillivary research. Another 327 words (23 lines of text) covering the years 1467, 1535, 1542, 1550, 1688, 15 a, 1745 and 1822 are included under the topic Early McGillivary History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McGillivary Spelling Variations

Repeated and inaccurate translation of Scottish names from Gaelic to English and back resulted in a wide variety of spelling variations with single names. McGillivary has appeared MacGillivray, MacGillivery, MacGillivary, MacGillivry, MacIlvray, MacIlvrae, MacIlwrach, MacIlwray, MacGivery, MacGivray, McGillivrae and many more.

Early Notables of the McGillivary family (pre 1700)

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was MacGillivray of Dunmaglass. The Hon. William McGillivray, son of Donald McGillivray of Dalscoilte, near Dunmaglass, was the head of the NorthWest Company fur trading...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McGillivary Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States McGillivary migration to the United States +

Many Scottish families suffered enormous hardships and were compelled to leave their country of birth. They traveled to Ireland and Australia, but mostly to the colonies of North America, where many found the freedom and opportunity they sought. It was not without a fight, though, as many were forced to stand up and defend their freedom in the American War of Independence. The ancestors of these Scots abroad have rediscovered their heritage in the last century through the Clan societies and other organizations that have sprung up across North America. Immigration and passenger ship lists show some important early immigrants bearing the name McGillivary:

McGillivary Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Geo. D. McGillivary, aged 22, originally from Aberdeen, arrived in New York in 1906 aboard the ship "Astoria" from Glasgow, Scotland [1]
  • Shirley Duncan McGillivary, aged 9, originally from St. Andrew, Jamaica, arrived in New York in 1914 aboard the ship "Obidense" from Kingston, Jamaica [2]
  • G. McGillivary, aged 27, arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Atenas" from Port Limon via Cristobal [3]
  • Alastan McGillivary, aged 40, arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Columbia" from Glasgow, Scotland [4]
  • Lilian McGillivary, aged 28, originally from Glasgow, Scotland, arrived in New York in 1922 aboard the ship "Algeria" from Glasgow, Scotland [5]

Contemporary Notables of the name McGillivary (post 1700) +

  • Brian McGillivary, Irish Paralympic footballer at the 2016 Summer Paralympics
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. David L Mcgillivary, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking [6]
  1. "New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JFFW-XPL : 6 December 2014), Geo. D. McGillivary, 28 Feb 1906; citing departure port Glasgow, arrival port New York, ship name Astoria, NARA microfilm publication T715 and M237 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
  2. "New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JJQZ-CJD : 6 December 2014), Shirley Duncan McGillivary, 22 Jun 1914; citing departure port Kingston, arrival port New York, ship name Obidense, NARA microfilm publication T715 and M237 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
  3. "New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J64N-QWR : 6 December 2014), G. McGillivary, 29 Jul 1919; citing departure port Port Limon via Cristobal, arrival port New York, ship name Atenas, NARA microfilm publication T715 and M237 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
  4. "New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J6H9-L2J : 6 December 2014), Alastan McGillivary, 06 Sep 1920; citing departure port Glasgow, arrival port New York, ship name Columbia, NARA microfilm publication T715 and M237 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
  5. "New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JN2K-HYM : 6 December 2014), Lilian McGillivary, 15 Nov 1922; citing departure port Glasgow, arrival port New York, ship name Algeria, NARA microfilm publication T715 and M237 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
  6. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
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