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Mcelroy Family History

Mcelroy Surname Meaning

Irish and Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Giolla Rua (Irish) or Mac Gille Ruaidh (Scottish) ‘son of the red-haired lad’ (from ruadh ‘red’).

Compare Gilroy and Kilroy.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Mcelroy family from?

You can see how Mcelroy families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mcelroy family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Mcelroy families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 174 Mcelroy families living in Lancashire. This was about 61% of all the recorded Mcelroy's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Mcelroy families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mcelroy surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Mcelroy ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Mcelroy. 25% of Mcelroy men worked as a General Labourer and 74% of Mcelroy women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Mcelroy were Builder Labourer Heavy and Housewife.

View Census Data for Mcelroy | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    25%
  • Builders Labourer
    11%
  • Stripper grinder Now Motor Waggon Driver
    8%
  • Builder Labourer Heavy
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Housekeeper
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Mcelroy family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 106,000 census records available for the last name Mcelroy. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mcelroy census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Mcelroy

Passenger Lists

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Mcelroy. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Mcelroy immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 25,000 military records available for the last name Mcelroy. For the veterans among your Mcelroy ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Mcelroy military records

You've only scratched the surface of Mcelroy family history

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What is the average Mcelroy lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Mcelroy life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Mcelroy in 1943 was 34, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mcelroy

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Mcelroy ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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