Surname MacKilmurray - Meaning and Origin

MacKilmurray: What does the surname MacKilmurray mean?

The last name MacKilmurray is a Scottish surname of Gaelic origin. It is derived from the Gaelic Mac Giolla Mhuire, which means “son of the devotee of Mary”. This indicates that the bearer of the name was likely a follower of the Catholic faith.

The name is also said to be derived from the Gaelic words “mac gille”, which means “son of the servant” or “son of the disciple”. The root word “murray” is also believed to be derived from the Gaelic word “muir”, meaning “sea” or “ocean”.

MacKilmurray is a Ulster-Scots surname that can be found in County Leitrim, Ireland; Scotland’s Moray, Thurso, and Aberdeenshire regions; the Isle of Skye; and in some parts of England.

The MacKilmurray surname is still thriving in Scotland and around the globe today. It is likely that the bearers of this surname have maintained their devotion to the Catholic faith and their strong family bond over the centuries. Those bearing this surname may also have a special connection to the sea and the wild, untamed depths of the ocean.

MacKilmurray: Where does the name MacKilmurray come from?

The last name MacKilmurray is most common in Scotland today. It is a Scottish Surname that has evolved from MacCilmural, MacGillamurrow, and makes its first appearance in Scottish records around the 14th century.

In Scotland, the Clan MacKilmurray is rooted in the Hebrides Islands. Descendants of MacKilmurray are found in many parts of the world today, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Within the United States, California, New York, and Florida are home to the most MacKilmurrays. In California, a large portion of MacKilmurrays live in the San Francisco Bay area.

In Canada, MacKilmurrays have settled in Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia.

Australia and New Zealand have sizeable populations of MacKilmurrays, as many clan members emigrated there in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

MacKilmurrays can be found in many other parts of the world, although their populations are much smaller.

Today, many MacKilmurrays have a strong sense of heritage and trace back their family history. Members of the clan celebrate their name, whether it be at annual reunions or even smaller gatherings.

Variations of the surname MacKilmurray

There are a number of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname MacKilmurray. These include MacKelmuray, McKilmurray, and MacKilmurry. These variations of the same name may all be found in records from many different areas, including the United States, United Kingdom, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other areas around the world, as families moved about and created various variants of their surname.

The name MacKilmurray may also sometimes appear on records as McKilmuray, MacKilmuray, McKilmurry, MacKilmurry, or MacKilmorey. Other more common spellings of the name can be McKilmurry, Kilmurry, MacElmurray, McKilmurry, and MacKilmerry.

The surname has many variants and can also have different ethnic origins. For example, it may be of Irish origin, with the prefix Mac meaning "son of" and Kilmurray being derived from the old Gaelic personal name MacGilmurry (which means "follower of (Saint) Gilmore"). It could also have Scottish origin with Kilmurry meaning "servant of Mary".

Regardless of the origin of the surname, the variants and spellings of MacKilmurray give a unique history, and the many different ways of spelling the name have allowed families to trace their origins more easily and to create a meaningful ancestry that has been kept alive over time.

Famous people with the name MacKilmurray

• Neil MacKilmurray: Canadian dark fantasy/horror director whose films include Cube (1997), Splice (2009), Nothing (2003), and Haunter (2013).
• John MacKilmurray: Canadian politician who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from 1975 to 1982.
• Alastair MacKilmurray: British Olympic sailor, competed in the Men's Flying Dutchman at the revolution 1984 Summer Olympics.
• Dr. Charles MacKilmurray: prominent British surgeon who pioneered modern nerve surgery.
• Robert MacKilmurray: Scottish civil engineer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Glasgow Shettleston from 2015 to 2017.
• John D. MacKilmurray: Scottish footballer who played for Dundee United and Aberdeen, and was also part of the Scotland team for the 1978 FIFA World Cup.
• Craig MacKilmurray: Scottish boxer and former IBO Heavyweight Champion, who is currently the British heavyweight champion.
• Tommy MacKilmurray: Scottish guitarist and singer-songwriter, formerly of the British funk rock band Dr. Feelgood.
• Paul MacKilmurray: British theatre director who has been Artistic Director of six major theatres around the world.
• Donald MacKilmurray: Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the NHL from 1964 to 1974.

Other surnames

MacKilmurry