Apparently derived from a genuine and original Manx surname whose former spelling was Mac Giolla Chreest which translates as 'Son of Christs Servant'. The name dates from about the 7th Century when the first Christian missionaries visited the Isle of Man, and 'Christ's Servant' probably refers to an early member of the Church, when marriage was still allowed. The name development includes McYilchrist in 1713 and Mylechreest in 1717. Variant spellings created by dialectual transposition, would appear to be Mylecut, Mylecraine and Mylecree. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Mac Gilchreest. which was dated 1511, Moores Records of Manx Names, London. during the reign of King James I of England and VI of Scotland, 1603 - 1625. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

© Copyright: Name Origin Research 1980 - 2024