Gilroy (surname)
Gilroy
In Gaelic it appeared as Mac Giolla Rua, which means son of the red-haired youth. The name Gilroy has seen many modifications since the time in which it was first devised.
Early Origins of the Gilroy family
The surname Gilroy was first found in County Clare located on the west coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, where they were the Chiefs of Clonderlaw, conjecturally descended from Tiobraid, son of Iral Glunmhar, King of Ulster.
Gilroy Spelling Variations
The scribes and church officials of the Middle Ages who recorded names in official documents spelled the names as they sounded. This led to the problem of one name being recorded under several different variations and thus resembling more than one person. Among the many spelling variations of the surname Gilroy that are preserved in archival documents of this era include Gilroy, Kilroy, MacGilroy, MacElroy, MacGreevy, Greevy, MacGilrea, McGilroy, McElroy, McGreevy, McGilrea, MacIlrea, McIlrea, MacIlroy, Magilroy, Magilrea, MacElry, McElry, MacIlree and many more.
Notable Gilroy's in history
- Bert Gilroy, American film producer
- Beryl Gilroy, British novelist and teacher
- Craig Gilroy Irish rugby union player
- Dan Gilroy, American film director and screenwriter
- E. A. Gilroy, Canadian ice hockey administrator
- Frank D. Gilroy, American playwright, screenwriter, film producer and director
- Freddie Gilroy, Northern Irish Olympic boxer
- Henry Gilroy, American television screenwriter and producer
- Henry Gilroy (baseball), Major League Baseball catcher
- Jackie Gilroy, former Gaelic footballer
- John Gilroy (disambiguation)
- Keith Gilroy, Irish former professional footballer
- Linda Gilroy, British Labour Co-operative politician
- Matt Gilroy, American professional ice hockey defenseman
- Norman Thomas Gilroy, Australian Roman Catholic cardinal
- Pat Gilroy, former Gaelic footballer and manager
- Paul Gilroy, English academician
- Sue Anne Gilroy, American politician, Secretary of State of Indiana
- Thomas F. Gilroy, American politician, 89th mayor of New York City
- Tom Gilroy, American writer, director, producer, and actor
- Tony Gilroy, American screenwriter and filmmaker
Fictional characters
- Alec Gilroy, fictional character from the British soap opera Coronation Street
- Bet Gilroy, fictional character from the British soap opera Coronation Street; wife of Alec
- Jerry Gilroy, fictional character from the Hardy Boys books; outfielder for Bayport High School