Surname MacGilledow - Meaning and Origin
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MacGilledow: What does the surname MacGilledow mean?
The surname MacGilledow is a variant of the Scottish Clan name MacGillvary, which is believed to derive from the ancient Gall-Gaelic name Mac Gille-tomais. This means 'son of the servant of Thomas'. The MacGillvary clan was a branch of the MacDonald clan, and the two surnames have been interchanged over the centuries.
MacGilledow is an Anglicized form of the surname, and is believed to have first been used in Ireland and Scotland during the seventeenth century. As the Anglicization of surnames ramped up during this period, this is not surprising. The MacGilledow spelling is also sometimes used in parts of England, especially in the old city of Lancaster.
The meaning of the name itself is derived from the first name 'Thomas' and the Irish Gaelic word 'gille-tomais', which can be translated as 'servant of Thomas'. This name almost certainly links to the teachings of Thomas Aquinas, who was a renowned medieval theologian and philosopher. The surname therefore links to faith, but perhaps also the idea of loyalty and devotion to a master or ruler.
The surname MacGilledow is believed to be relatively rare at present, although the original spelling of MacGillvary is still popular among the Scottish clans. If you come across this name, then you have stumbled across an old and noble British surname with an interesting history.
Order DNA origin analysisMacGilledow: Where does the name MacGilledow come from?
The last name MacGilledow is most commonly associated with Scotland. While there are only a few MacGilledow families in Scotland today, their history stretches centuries back. MacGilledow is an Irish-Gaelic name, and suggests that the family descended from the Mac Giolla dDhubhghaill clan in Ireland during the Medieval period.
The MacGilledow family began to migrate to Scotland during the 17th century, particularly from the Irish province of Ulster. There were very few MacGilledow families in Scotland until the 19th century, when the family increased in population due to economic opportunities.
Today, the last name MacGilledow is still present in Scotland, though it is not as common as in the past. The most recent official records from the British Census show that there were 90 MacGilledow families living in Scotland in 2011, but these are likely to have decreased over the past decade.
In addition to Scotland, the last name can also be found across the world, as some MacGilledow families emigrated during the 19th and 20th centuries. Some are now located in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Variations of the surname MacGilledow
The surname MacGilledow originates from Scotland, and is an anglicisation of the Gaelic "Mac Giolla Dhuibh" which translates to mean the son of the follower of the dark haired person. The most common variants of this surname are:
MacGilledow, MacGilldow, MacGilleldow, MacGillindow, MacGilladow, MacGildow, MacGilday, MacGildray, MacGildy and MacGillodow.
Other spellings of the same origin include: MacGildouhe, MacG'illdoy, MacGildie, MacGildou, MacGeldo, MacGeldou, and MacGilldow.
Alternate surnames of the same origin include: Macgilodow, McAldow, MacGiolladhu, Macgillduff, MacGilduff, MacGilduffe, MacGilldhu, MacGilloway, McGilloway, Macilgow, Macilgowe, MacNilldow, MacKillduff and Makgilduff.
In Scotland, the most common spelling of MacGilledow is MacGilldow and MacGildow, while in the USA and Canada, it is most often seen as MacGilldoy, MacGilday and MacGilldow.
In some rare cases, the surname was shortened to Dhuibh to denote descent from the follower of the dark-haired man. Alternatively, the surname could also be seen as McGildow in North America and Australia, although this is not the traditional spelling of the surname in Scotland.
No matter the spelling variant, the origin of the surname remains the same, and all of the above originate from the Gaelic MacGiolla Dhuibh, meaning the son of the follower of the dark haired person.
Famous people with the name MacGilledow
- Colin MacGilledow: Scottish cricketer who played for the Leicestershire County Cricket Club.
- Angus MacGilledow: Scottish author best known for his novel The Perfect Life.
- John MacGilledow: two-time silver-medal winning swimmer at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.
- Ellen MacGilledow: Scottish actress who starred in the television series, Casualty.
- Maureen MacGilledow: Scottish cellist, who has performed with many orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
- Samantha MacGilledow: Scottish folk singer who is known for her stirring renditions of traditional and contemporary Scottish tunes.
- Finn MacGilledow: Scottish television presenter, best known for hosting a political discussion show.
- Lewis MacGilledow: Scottish painter, who won many awards for his watercolor paintings of castles and other historic sites throughout the British Isles.
- Wilson MacGilledow: Scottish drummer, who has performed with several popular bands, including U2 and Oasis.
- Stephen MacGilledow: Scottish author and playwright. He has written several stage plays, as well as a collection of short stories and novels.