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Irish surname

McElligott: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Mac Uileagóid · 'son of Wilecot' (i.e., little Ulick, a double diminutive of William)

Woulfe (1923) gives MacElligott as an anglicised form of Mac Uileagóid, 'son of Wilecot', the name of 'an old and respectable Kerry family'. He says they are 'apparently of Anglo-Norman origin, notwithstanding the statement of Dr. O'Brien in his Irish Dictionary, that they are of the same stock as the MacCarthys'. BallymacElligott near Tralee was probably their first home in Kerry; at the beginning of the 17th century they were seated in the parish of Galey near Listowel. In 1890, 19 of Ireland's 24 McElligott birth entries were in Kerry.

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Coat of arms associated with the McElligott surname
Irish formMac Uileagóid
Meaning'son of Wilecot' (i.e., little Ulick, a double diminutive of William)
CountiesKerry
Other spellings4

Origin of the McElligott name

Woulfe: an old and respectable Kerry family, 'apparently of Anglo-Norman origin, notwithstanding the statement of Dr. O'Brien in his Irish Dictionary, that they are of the same stock as the MacCarthys'. BallymacElligott, near Tralee, was probably their first home in Kerry.[1]

  1. Beginning of the 17th centurySeated in Galey parish, where Thomas M'Kilgod, 'chief of his nation', held property he forfeited on his attainder.[1]
  2. 1690'MAC ELLIGOT' appears in Sir James Terry's list of Irish septs.[3]
  3. 189024 McElligott birth entries in Ireland, 23 in Munster, 19 in Kerry.[2]

Where in Ireland

Co. KerryProbably first at BallymacElligott near Tralee; seated in Galey parish near Listowel at the beginning of the 17th century; 19 of 24 births in 1890.[1][2]

Notable people named McElligott

Thomas M'Kilgodbeginning of the 17th century'Chief of his nation' in Galey parish near Listowel; forfeited considerable property on his attainder (Woulfe).[1]

Other spellings

MacElligott · M'Eligott · M'Killigott · M'Killegode[1]

The McElligott coat of arms

'MAC ELLIGOT' is printed in the 'List of Names of Irish Septs as given in the Book of Arms, compiled by Sir James Terry, Athlone Herald (1690)', as reproduced by Matheson. The list gives sept names only; it does not describe any arms, and it does not mean that everyone named McElligott is entitled to a coat of arms.[3]

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the McElligott surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

McElligott crest gifts

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McElligott surname: questions

What does the surname McElligott mean?

Woulfe gives MacElligott as a form of Mac Uileagóid, 'son of Wilecot', which he explains as 'little Ulick', a double diminutive of William.[1]

Is McElligott an Irish or Norman name?

Woulfe calls the MacElligotts 'an old and respectable Kerry family' and says they are 'apparently of Anglo-Norman origin, notwithstanding the statement of Dr. O'Brien in his Irish Dictionary, that they are of the same stock as the MacCarthys'.[1]

Where in Ireland is the McElligott name from?

Co. Kerry. Woulfe says BallymacElligott near Tralee was probably the family's first home in Kerry, and that at the beginning of the 17th century they were seated in the parish of Galey near Listowel. In 1890, 19 of the 24 McElligott birth entries were in Kerry.[1][2]

How is McElligott said in Irish?

Woulfe gives the Irish form as Mac Uileagóid and says that in the spoken language it is shortened to Mac Cliogóid.[1]

Sources

  1. Mac Uileagóid — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macu/mac-uileagoid.php
  2. McElligott — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/mcelligott.php
  3. List of Names of Irish Septs (Terry, 1690) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/irish-septs.php

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).