McElroy

Etymology

McElroy is an anglicized Gaelic patronymic built on Mac, meaning “son of,” plus a second element that is usually taken as a personal name or byname rendered in English as Elroy. The exact origin of the second element is less certain than for many surnames, but the form is clearly of Irish Gaelic type. In practice, the name means “son of Elroy” or “descendant of Elroy,” rather than referring to a place or occupation.

History

The surname is associated especially with Ireland and later with Irish diaspora communities, including the United States. Nineteenth-century surname lists group McElroy with other Gaelic Mac- names, reflecting its clear Irish character. In modern usage it is fairly widespread in English-speaking countries, though still distinctly recognizable as Irish in origin.

Origin

Regions

Variant spellings

Fun fact

Because many Irish surnames were standardized by English spelling, related forms such as McIlroy and McElroy can sometimes appear in different branches of the same family.