Show ContentsMcVeigh History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name is derived from the Irish Gaelic "Mac an Bheatha," and a bearer of Mac Beatha is mentioned in the Annals as taking part in the battle of Clontarf in 1014.

Early Origins of the McVeigh family

The surname McVeigh was first found in Connacht (Irish: Connachta, (land of the) descendants of Conn), where they held a family seat from ancient times. Today the name is numerous in north-east Ulster but back in the 17th century it was mainly recorded in Antrim, Armagh and Donegal as McVagh, McVaugh and McEvagh. 1

Early History of the McVeigh family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McVeigh research. Another 44 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1541 and 1798 are included under the topic Early McVeigh History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McVeigh Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: McVeigh, McVeagh, McVey, McVeigh, Mcvagh, MacVaugh, McEvagh and many more.

Early Notables of the McVeigh family

Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McVeigh Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McVeigh Ranking

In the United States, the name McVeigh is the 11,489th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2


McVeigh migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McVeigh Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John, Michael, and Thomas McVeigh, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860
  • Hugh McVeigh, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1876 3
  • Patrick McVeigh, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1878 3

McVeigh migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McVeigh Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Patrick McVeigh, aged 45 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Lord Seaton" departing from the port of Belfast, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in July 1847 4
  • Miss. Ann McVeigh, aged 4 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "John Munn" departing 16th June 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 13th August 1847 but she died on board 5
  • Miss. Bridget McVeigh, aged 18 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "John Munn" departing 16th June 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 13th August 1847 but she died on board 5
  • Mr. Isaac McVeigh who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Lotus" departing 15th April 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 24th June 1847 but he died on board 5
  • Mr. James McVeigh, aged 50 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Emily" departing 12th April 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 6th July 1847 but he died on board 5
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McVeigh migration to Australia +

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

McVeigh Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Mcveigh, (b. 1821), aged 30, Irish agricultural labourer who was convicted in Armagh, Ireland for 10 years for burglary, transported aboard the "Blenheim" on 29th July 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1869 6
  • James McVeigh (aged 23) arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Aurora"
  • John McVeigh, aged 6, who arrived in South Australia in 1859 aboard the ship "James Jardine"
  • Margaret McVeigh, aged 26, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1859 aboard the ship "James Jardine"
  • Sarah A. McVeigh, aged 2, who arrived in South Australia in 1859 aboard the ship "James Jardine"

McVeigh 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:

McVeigh Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Rose Mcveigh, (b. 1837), aged 26, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship "Metropolis" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 16th June 1863 7
  • Miss Mary Mcveigh, (b. 1840), aged 23, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship "Metropolis" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 16th June 1863 7
  • John McVeigh, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Pegasus" in 1865
  • Hugh McVeigh, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Pegasus" in 1865
  • Patrick McVeigh, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Pegasus" in 1865
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name McVeigh (post 1700) +

  • Timothy R. McVeigh (b. 1961), United States Navy sailor
  • Brian J. McVeigh (b. 1959), American anthropologist
  • Sergeant John J McVeigh (1921-1944), American who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1944
  • Shaw McVeigh, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Georgia, 2008 8
  • Richard L. McVeigh, American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Attorney for Alaska, 1964-68; Member of Alaska State House of Representatives 10th District, 1973-74 8
  • Joseph C. McVeigh, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Massachusetts, 1916 8
  • Francis McVeigh, American politician, Socialist Labor Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Vernon, 1902 8
  • B. W. McVeigh, American politician, Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives 35th District, 1925-34 8
  • Anna McVeigh, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1940 8
  • Paul McVeigh (b. 1977), Northern Irish professional footballer
  • ... (Another 11 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Empress of Ireland
  • Mr. James Henry McVeigh (1887-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Negaunee, Michigan, United States who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 9
Frank Rock Slide
  • Mr. John McVeigh, Canadian railway contractor of Frank, Alberta who was buried in the Frank Rock Slide on 29th April 1903 10


The McVeigh 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: Per ardua
Motto Translation: Through adversity.


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, More Irish Families. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-0126-0)
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. 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)
  4. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 46)
  5. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 89)
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blenheim
  7. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  9. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  10. Calgary Herald news article retrieved 11th August 2021. Retrieved from https://smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital/calgaryherald/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Calgary_Herald_Thu__Apr_30__1903_-copy-scaled.jpg


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