Surname McIlveall - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
McIlveall: What does the surname McIlveall mean?
The surname McIlveall is of Scottish origin and it is a variant of the name MacGillivray, which derives from the Gaelic "Mac Gille Bhràth", meaning "son of the servant of judgement". It is a patronymic surname, which means it was made by adding prefixes or suffixes to the name of a father or ancestor. These types of surnames often denote family lineage and are common in cultures that formerly used such naming customs.
The MacGillivray clan, from which McIlveall originates, is an ancient Highland Scottish clan, historically associated with the regions of Morar, Dunmaglass and Strathnairn. The clan saw significant involvement in landmark events of Scottish history, including the Battle of Culloden.
However, bear in mind that surname origins, meanings, and associations can vary based on geographical regions and historical periods, and individual family histories may also have contributed unique connotations to the surname's meaning.
Order DNA origin analysisMcIlveall: Where does the name McIlveall come from?
The surname McIlveall is of Scottish origin, specifically from the Gaelic culture. It is a variant of the surname MacIlveen, which is derived from the personal name Gillean, meaning "servant of St. John". The prefix 'Mc' or 'Mac' indicates 'son of.'
The surname in its various forms has spread primarily across the areas colonized by the British, particularly in the English-speaking world. However, due to emigration and the passage of time, the distribution of people with this surname has become widespread and does not necessarily lean towards a specific geographical region. Currently, it can occur in any English-speaking country, such as the United States, Canada, UK, and Australia, although its prevalence may not be high.
Accurate data on where the name McIlveall specifically is most common today is hard to come by due to its rarity. Still, generally, surnames of Scottish origin are found in higher proportions in areas where Scots settled in large numbers, including parts of the United States (especially the Appalachian region) and Canada (particularly Nova Scotia).
Variations of the surname McIlveall
The surname McIlveall is of Scottish origin and is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Gille Bheathain," which means "son of the servant of Saint Beathan." Here are some variations and anglicized spellings of this surname:
- MacGillivray
- MacIlvrae
- MacIlwraith
- MacIlraith
- MacIlrevie
- MacIlvride
- McGillivray
- McGillvrae
- McGillwraith
- McIlvrae
- McIlwraith
- McIlraith
- McIlrevie
- McIlvride
- McIlveen
It's important to note that because old Celtic names were often translated phonetically into English, variations are common. Some spellings may have changed completely over time due to errors in translations. Such changes occurred when families migrated to English-speaking countries like the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Also, the prefixes "Mac" and "Mc" are mostly interchangeable, representing an anglicization of the Gaelic "Mhic," and both mean "son of".
The surname features different spellings, all with roots in the same original name, due to the translation from Gaelic to English and typographical errors made by clerks and census workers who wrote the names.
Famous people with the name McIlveall
- Scott McIlveall — Small business administrator in the United States who served as the acting administrator of the United States Small Business Administration from 2012 to 2013.
- Bruce McIlveall — Canadian television producer, director, and executive, who is best known for producing the long-running Canadian series Degrassi: The Next Generation.
- Keegan McIlveall — Professional rugby player from New Zealand who is currently playing for the Melrose RFC in Scotland in the Scottish Premiership.
- Brett McIlveall — 1981 American film producer, director, and writer who worked closely with director John Hughes.
- Levi McIlveall — Former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Houston Astros in 1979 and 1980.
- Barry McIlveall — English association football goalkeeper who played 206 matches in the Football League for Darlington between 1947 and 1957.
- John McIlveall — Canadian NHL forward who played in the World Hockey Association with the Edmonton Oilers and the Birmingham Bulls in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
- Robert McIlveall — American science-fiction and fantasy author who has written in both Black Library's "Warhammer" and "Warhammer 40k Shared Universe".
- Nigel McIlveall — Scottish novelist, renowned for The Sacred Covenant Trilogy, a historical fiction series set in 12th-century England.
- Grant Mcilveall — British actor who has starred in several films and television series such as Red Dwarf, British Broadcasting Corporation television series Endeavour and the BAFTA-winning film London to Brighton.