Surname McElroy - Meaning and Origin
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A Deep Dive into McElroy: Unravelling my Ancestry with iGENEA's DNA Test
I took a DNA test with iGENEA to further understand my McElroy lineage. The professional handling, the scientifically sound processing of the DNA, and the specific and clear-cut results have deepened my understanding of my family name. The eye-opener was discovering that McElroy is an ancient Irish surname with strong Celtic roots and is associated with the Gaelic sept 'Mac Giolla Rua'.
P. McElroy
read moreMcElroy: What does the surname McElroy mean?
The surname McElroy is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic name Mac Giolla Rua, meaning "son of the red-haired youth." This name would have originally been given to the son of a young man who had red hair. Over time, this personal name became a hereditary surname. Like many Irish surnames, the name is prefixed with “Mc” (or “Mac”) which means “son of.” It is particularly prevalent in the northern Irish counties of Monaghan, Fermanagh and Tyrone. A notable variant of the name is Gilroy. Despite its Irish origins, the name is now widely found across the globe, including in the United States, Canada, Australia, and England. It is important to note that the spelling of Irish surnames can vary significantly due to anglicization processes, dialectal variations and different translations.
Order DNA origin analysisMcElroy: Where does the name McElroy come from?
The surname McElroy is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Giolla Ruaidh", which translates to "son of the red-haired youth". The name is traditionally associated with counties Tyrone and Fermanagh in Northern Ireland, where it has been established since the early Middle Ages. The first record of the surname traces back to these Northern counties.
Today, the McElroy surname is common in Ireland, but due to historical patterns of emigration, there are many people with the McElroy surname in the United States, Canada, Australia, and other parts of the world where Irish immigrants have settled over the centuries. In the U.S, the largest concentrations of people with the McElroy name are found in Texas, California, and the southern states. It remains a popular name in parts of Northern Ireland as well.
Variations of the surname McElroy
The surname McElroy originates from Ireland and is an anglicized form of the Gaelic "Mac Giolla Rua," meaning "son of the redhead youth." This surname has multiple variations and spellings due to differences in regional dialects, transcription errors, and anglicization. Some of these include McElry, McIllroy, MacElroy, MacIlroy, MacElry, M'Elroy, McGilroy and Makgillroy. It can also be found just as Elroy or Elry in some records.
Surname conversion from Gaelic to English might also produce variants such as M'Ilrea, M'Ilree, M'Ilroy, Gillroy, Kildare, Kilroy, Macildowie or even Red. The prefix 'Mac' or 'Mc' itself can vary and might be missing in some cases due to the Anglicization process in the past.
It's important to note that these variants have occurred over centuries and some may not be commonly used today. Also, some variations may be treated as separate surnames entirely. If you're using this information for genealogical purposes, it's a good idea to check all possible variations.
Finally, it's possible to find the McElroy surname with different prefixes as well, such as O'McElroy or FitzMcElroy, especially in historical texts and records.
Famous people with the name McElroy
- Justin McElroy: An American podcaster and former video game journalist.
- Travis McElroy: Brother of Justin, he is a podcaster best known for his work on the podcast "My Brother, My Brother and Me."
- Griffin McElroy: Another brother in the McElroy family, Griffin is also a podcaster and former video game journalist.
- Clint McElroy: Father to Justin, Travis, and Griffin, Clint is a former radio personality and comic book writer.
- Kelly McElroy: She is a notable academic in the field of library and information science.
- Rory McElroy: A Northern Irish professional golfer who is part of the PGA and European Tours.
- Barton MacLane (real name: Ernest McElroy): An American actor, playwright, and screenwriter.
- Susan McElroy: An American psychologist and prolific author in the field of mental health.
- Dermot McElroy: An Irish professional golfer mainly plays on the PGA EuroPro Tour.
- James McElroy: An American boxer who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics.