McGillwory History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The name McGillwory was first used by a Strathclyde-Briton family from the Scottish/English Borderlands. It was a name for a devotee of the Virgin Mary. Looking back further, we find the name McGillwory was originally derived from the Gaelic Gille Moire, which means follower of Mary or servant of Mary. 1

As an occupational name, the family was known as "the bearer of the broadsword to a Scottish chief." 2 or "follower of the chief, one who carried the chief's broadsword, from gille, a servant, and mor, large, great." 3

Early Origins of the McGillwory family

The surname McGillwory was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Early records from Cumberland show that between 1133 and 1156, Gilmor, son of Gilander founded the chapelry of Treverman (later Trierman) in the parish of Walton, Cumberland, site of Triermain castle. "The chapel was constructed of wattlework (capetta de virgin), and on its completion Gilmor appointed his kinsman Gillemor to the chaplaincy. These names, it may be mentioned, attest the strong Gaelic influence in Cumberland at that period." 4

Gilmore meaning "Gill the Big" was son of Gillanders the great Chief who lived about 1140.

"Some time before 1144 'Gillemor filius Gilleconel' granted a half mark of silver to the church of S. Machute in Lesmahagow (Kelso, 187). Gillemure Albanach ('the Scot') and Gillemure mac Blancard witnessed the donation of the church of Torpennoth, etc. to Holyrood by Uchtred, Lord of Galloway, between 1153-65." 4

Early History of the McGillwory family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McGillwory research. Another 348 words (25 lines of text) covering the years 1190, 1200, 1211, 1250, 1270, 1304, 1316, 1572, 1605, 1628, 1641, 1661, 1671 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McGillwory History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McGillwory Spelling Variations

In the era before dictionaries, there were no rules governing the spelling or translation of names or any other words. Consequently, there are an enormous number of spelling variations in Medieval Scottish names. McGillwory has appeared as Gilmour, Gilmore, Gilmur, Gilmor, Gilmer, Gilmoore and many more.

Early Notables of the McGillwory family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Sir John Gilmour of Craigmillar (1605-1671), Lord President of the Court of Session 1661-1671. He was the son of John Gilmour, writer to the signet and was bred to his father's profession, but on 12 Dec. 1628 he was admitted an advocate. "His professional connection lay among the royalist party...
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McGillwory Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McGillwory family to Ireland

Some of the McGillwory family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McGillwory family

The freedom, opportunity, and land of the North American colonies beckoned. There, Scots found a place where they were generally free from persecution and where they could go on to become important players in the birth of new nations. Some fought in the American War of Independence, while others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these Scottish settlers have been able to recover their lost national heritage in the last century through highland games and Clan societies in North America. Among them: James, John, Robert, Thomas, and William Gilmer settled in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860; Alexander, Andrew, Archibald, David, James, John, Patrick, Samuel and William Gilmore arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.

The McGillwory 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: Perseveranti dabitur
Motto Translation: It will be given to the persevering.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)