Gilroy Surname Meaning & Coat of Arms

Families named Gilroy share their surname's story with McElroy, of which it is a variant. Surname dictionaries give the meaning as “Son of the red-haired lad”.

• About 3,910 people in the United States were recorded as Gilroy in 2010, placing it 8,449 on the national list.
• Before spelling was fixed, McElroy was also written Gilroy.
• The same family of names includes McIlroy, MacIlroy and MacElroy.

Heraldry and the Gilroy name

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the McElroy surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon. Want more than a summary? See the Gilroy family name pack.