MULROY Family History

Recorded in several forms including Mulleary, Mulry, Mulroy, Milroy and Roy, this is clearly a Gaelic surname, although its origins are open to a number of possible interpretations. These include derivation from the ancient Scottish name Mac Illeruaidh or Mac gille Ruaidh meaning 'The son of the red haired lad', although MacLysaght, the famous Irish historian claims it is from O' Maolmhuire, meaning a follower of the Virgin Mary! A completely different explanation is that it may be ethnic, and to have referred to an Anglo-Saxon as they often had red hair.