Surname McIlhargy - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
McIlhargy: What does the surname McIlhargy mean?
The surname McIlhargy is of Scottish origin, suggesting a geographical, occupational, or personal characteristic of the original bearer. However, the specific meaning of the name ‘McIlhargy’ hasn't been clearly documented. It is a compound of the Gaelic prefix "Mac" which generally means ‘son of.’ The second part of the name, 'Ilhargy,' doesn't have a well documented meaning. Like many Scottish surnames, it is thought to be a patronymic or derived from a clan affiliation. Due to the nuances and changes in language over time, the meaning of 'Ilhargy' is not clear today. Many Scottish surnames have evolved over centuries under influences such as regional dialects and phonetic spelling; this can further obscure the original meaning. More in-depth genealogical research could potentially uncover specific historical documents and contexts shedding light on the meaning of 'Ilhargy.' Often ancestral documents like census records, land grants, or church records prove helpful to gain insight into the context and origin of family names.
Order DNA origin analysisMcIlhargy: Where does the name McIlhargy come from?
The surname McIlhargy originates from Scotland, more specifically from the Gaelic region. It is a derivative of the Gaelic name "Mac Giolla Charraig," which means "son of the servant of the rock." The name references the historic tribe member who served a rocky outcrop symbolic of ancient Celtic church.
In many cases, surnames often indicated geographical origins, occupations, or alliances to certain families. For McIlhargy, it indicated descendants from a specific family member known as the "servant of the rock".
Today, the name, like many Scottish surnames, has been dispersed globally due to historic migration and settlement patterns, especially during the Highland Clearances in the 18th and 19th centuries. It can be found sporadically across English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and of course, Scotland. However, it is not particularly common in any of these places as it is a fairly unusual surname.
Variations of the surname McIlhargy
The surname McIlhargy is of Scottish origin and has a few alternative spellings and variations as a result of regional dialects and translations. Some of the known alternative spellings of McIlhargy are: Mcilhargey, McIlwain, McIlwaine, McIlwhan, McIlhargie, McIlhenny.
Due to the Gaelic tranlsation, it may also be written as MacIlhargy or MacIlhargey. Sometimes, the "Mac" or "Mc" (meaning 'son of') may be dropped leading to variations like Ilhargy or Hargy.
In some cases, it could also be altered to McElhargy or McAlhargy due to phonetic spellings. The surname could further be recorded as Hargie, Hargy, Hargey because of varying patterns of phonetic spellings within different regions.
The surnames are derived from the Gaelic Mac Giolla Charraigh and Scottish Gaelic Mac Gille Charraig, which means "son of the servant of Carraig." The names were often Anglicized irregularly during the period of conversion from Gaelic to English.
However, due to the numerous ways surnames were recorded over centuries, these variations and alternative spellings of McIlhargy could have branched out to form surnames of their own and may not always specify the same family lineage.
Famous people with the name McIlhargy
- Paul McIlhargy: a Northern Ireland politician who served as an Ulster Unionist MP in Westminster from 1983 to 1987
- Eoin McIlhargy: a professional football player for Glentoran
- Rose McIlhargy: a Northern Ireland politician who served in the House of Commons from 1983 to 1997
- John McIlhargy: a professional football player for Glentoran
- Sean McIlhargy: a professional football player for Linfield
- Siobhan McIlhargy: a Northern Ireland politician, former Alliance Party Mayor of North Down
- Brendan McIlhargy: a Northern Ireland barrister and former Chairman of the Northern Ireland Bar Council
- PJ McIlhargy: a Northern Ireland professional footballer who played for Linfield
- Ursula McIlhargy: a Northern Ireland-based writer, mainly of adult fiction
- Ambrose McIlhargy: a Northern Ireland-based journalist and former Chairman of the Irish Writers Union