Surname McIlvoile - Meaning and Origin

McIlvoile: What does the surname McIlvoile mean?

The surname McIlvoile is of Scottish origin, predominantly found in Northern Ireland, tracing back to the Scottish Highlands prior to the Norman Conquest in 1066. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic name "Mac Giolla Mhaoil," which means "son of the servant of the devotee." This is a form of devotional or patronymic name, where the initial "Mac" or "Mc" denotes "son of," followed by a personal name or descriptor. In this case, it implies the family were servants or followers of a religious devotee or holy person. Like many surnames, it may have identified a specific person in a community and then became passed down to subsequent generations. Variations of the spelling might include McIlvail, McElwee, McElvogue, and more. As individuals or families migrated, names often changed to accommodate different languages or to simplify pronunciation and spelling. However, specifics about the meaning or original bearer of "McIlvoile" are not fundamentally outlined in historical texts.

McIlvoile: Where does the name McIlvoile come from?

The last name McIlvoile is of Scottish origin. It is a derived name that combines two Gaelic words: 'Mac,' which means 'son of,' and 'Gilbhaoile,' a personal name. The McIlvoile surname primarily belongs to Scotland's western coastal regions and the Hebrides Islands, where the name's first traces were found. However, the exact region or clan the name initially belonged to is unclear due to its rarity.

As is the case with many Scottish surnames, due to historical events like migration and displacement, it is likely that bearers of the McIlvoile surname have spread worldwide. Today, the last name McIlvoile could be found in countries such as the United States and Canada. However, it remains an uncommon last name, making it difficult to ascertain where it is particularly prevalent. Those with the surname McIlvoile today may find their origins are tied to Scotland, but comprehensive data about its current distribution lacks due to its rarity.

Variations of the surname McIlvoile

The surname McIlvoile is of Scottish origin and is known to derive from the pre 10th century Old Gaelic surname Mac giolla Mhaoil, which translates to "the son of the follower of the chief".

There are several different ways that McIlvoile has been spelled over the centuries due to the way Gaelic names were anglicized. Some of these different spellings could include McIlvail, McIlveil, McIlvoyle, McElvail, McElveil, McElvoyle, MacIlvail, MacIlveil, MacIlvoyle, MacElvail, MacElveil, and MacElvoyle.

Variant surnames similarly originated from the Gaelic surname could be McIlmoil, McElmoil, McIlmoyle, McElmoyle, MacIlmoil, MacElmoil, MacIlmoyle, and MacElmoyle.

As with many surnames, spellings can be varied even further because of phonetical misspellings, different dialects, or translation errors, leading to even more possible spellings.

Famous people with the name McIlvoile

• Briana McIlvoile: American actress and model best known as a regular on the 2018 revival of "MTV's Fear Factor".
• Liam McIlvoile: American actor who has starred in various short films and stage plays.
• Jack McIlvoile: Scottish footballer who has played for several teams including English club Plymouth Argyle.
• Shane McIlvoile: Canadian professional skateboarder and YouTube star.
• James McIlvoile: Irish poet and songwriter most noted for his piece "The Red-Headed Man of Ireland".
• Wally McIlvoile: American basketball player who played college basketball for Long Beach State and had a brief stint in the NBA.
• Donny McIlvoile: Singer-songwriter and guitarist from Northern Ireland who released four solo albums.
• Kieran McIlvoile: Scottish field hockey player who has competed in numerous international tournaments.
• Alex McIlvoile: English rock bassist best known for his work in the British band Electric Orange.
• Sean McIlvoile: Australian rugby union player who won the Rugby World Cup with the Wallabies in 2003.

Other surnames

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Comments or additions to the name "McIlvoile"

20.05.2024
Clan MacMillan name variant related to McIlvail and McInvale.