Explore the Family Name Gilroy
The meaning of Gilroy
Irish and Scottish: shortened Anglicized form of Irish Mac Giolla Rua and Scottish Gaelic Mac Gille Ruaidh, ‘son of the red-haired lad’, from ruadh ‘red’. Compare McElroy. Some characteristic forenames: Irish Brendan, Brennan, Kieran.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gilroy in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Gilroy has seen a slight decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked 8053 in terms of its prevalence, but this rank dropped to 8449 by 2010, indicating a decrease of approximately 4.92%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual number of individuals with the Gilroy surname increased slightly from 3797 in 2000 to 3910 in 2010, making for a growth rate of about 2.98%. The proportion of the Gilroy surname per 100k people decreased by 5.67% over this decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,053 | #8,449 | -4.92% |
| Count | 3,797 | 3,910 | 2.98% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.41 | 1.33 | -5.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gilroy
Ethnic identity associated with the Gilroy surname, as revealed by the Decennial U.S. Census data, shows interesting changes between 2000 and 2010. The majority of those bearing the surname identified as White, though this proportion decreased slightly from 94.15% in 2000 to 92.35% in 2010. The percentage identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and Black rose in this period, with the most significant growth seen among those identifying with two or more races (a jump from 0.79% to 1.56%). Conversely, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native saw a decrease, falling from 0.66% to 0.56%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.15% | 92.35% | -1.91% |
| Hispanic | 1.87% | 2.38% | 27.27% |
| Black | 1.87% | 2.28% | 21.93% |
| Two or More Races | 0.79% | 1.56% | 97.47% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.66% | 0.87% | 31.82% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.66% | 0.56% | -15.15% |
Gilroy ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Gilroy is British & Irish, which comprises 64.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (14.1%) and Eastern European (6.7%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Nigerian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Spanish & Portuguese.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 64.4% |
| French & German | 14.1% |
| Eastern European | 6.7% |
| Other | 14.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Gilroy
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Gilroy have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 91.90% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 91.90% |
| South Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 91.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 91.90% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 91.90% |
What Gilroy haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Gilroy is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-S476 and R-Z16337, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Parham, Culver, Crandall, Thacker, Turnbull, Maxwell, Pauley, Mckenna, Mayfield, Elam.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Gilroy surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Gilroy have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Gilroy" Surname 52.4%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Gilroy" Surname 22.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Vitamin Use
Takes vitamins on a regular basis.
"Gilroy" Surname 51.7%
23andMe Users 45.5%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Gilroy" Surname 15.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Gilroy?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Gilroy are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition