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McGill History

McGill Motto

Sine Fine - Without End (also translated: Always and Forever)

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Established in Galloway during the twelfth century, the name appears to derive from 'Mac an Ghoill', meaning 'son of the lowlander' or 'son of the stranger'.

MACGILL: This name is derived from the Gaelic "Mac an Ghoill" (son of the Lowlander or Stranger).

MacGills were found in the district of Galloway and the Isle of Man at an early date, and during the 18th century others of the same name were recorded in Jura.

Perhaps the best known historical character was James Makgill of Rankeillor- Clerk Register and Provost of Edinburgh in the mid 1500's. James, a friend of John Knox, was implicated in the murder of Rizzio, Queen Mary's secretary, in 1566, and subsequently forced to seek refuge in the Highlands.

However, in 1568, James took part in a secret mission which brought the famous "Casket Letters" from Scotland to Queen Elizabeth I of England. He also signed the Act of Parliament containing Queen Mary's resignation of the Crown in her son's favour.

In 1627 a Baronetcy was given to Sir James Makgill of Cranston-Makgill, and in 1651 he also received the peerage and Viscountcy which were restored recently to his direct descendant; The Viscount of Oxfuird in 1978 was recognized by Lyon Court as Chief of the MacGill Family.

Upon the failure of the 1745 Rebellion, some MacGills escaped to Ireland but later returned to settle in Ayrshire, while others made their way to Holland.

McGill Tartan

The family tartan, which originated with the MacGills of Jura, was in use before 1745 but when tartan was proscribed the sett seemed to have been lost until a piece was discovered in Kintyre.

It is now in the Museum of Antiquities, Edinburgh.

The current version, which first appeared in 1930, is known as the MacGill Society tartan.

Sir Thomas Innes of Learney, Lord Lyon King of Arms stated that The MacGill is an Independant family or clan whose pedigree IS RECORDED IN THE PUBLIC REGISTER OF GENEALOGIES, and claim descent at a very remote period (which is reasonably probable and consistant with their antecedants) from the Celtic Lords of Galloway. They have nothing to do with other clans.

McGill Descendants Of ...

According to Sir Donald Makgill [12th Viscount Oxfuird - whm] There is sound documentary proof that the McGills are descended from Gilbert or Gille fil bueth (Gille MacBueth), Lord of Gillesland who was the fourth son of Bueth McGill, Lord of Galloway in the middle of the eleventh century.

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