Welcome to the Clan MacGillivray Genealogy Page! We will be using this page to post genealogical queries and information of interest to all those with the surname MacGillivray and its variant spellings, particularly those who have a connection to Canada.
We encourage all MacGillivrays to review the database for ancestors who have passed; with a view to identifying their family line. We would appreciate your assistance in assigning family members to their correct line.
Please feel free to add your own information by using the comment box below.
NEW BRUNSWICK
According to the 1871 and 1881 censuses there were several different MacGillivray family lines in New Brunswick. Most of the head of the households indicate that they were born in Nova Scotia. We have attached the 1871 and 1881 New Brunswick Censuses with the hope to assign the various MacGillivray families to their respective lines. For those households that we have identified we have added the name of the related family spreadsheet. We have also included below the information from New Brunswick vital statistics that is available on line relating to MacGilivrays.
New Brunswick Censuses 1871 & 1881
New Brunswick Vital Statistics MacGillivray
NOVA SCOTIA
According to the 1817 Nova Scotia Census for Sydney County and for Pictou County, there are twenty-six and sixteen MacGillivray families listed respectively. Some of the households are listed numerically; one may notice that many of the MacGillivray families are living in close proximity to one another.
Through the use of wills, cemetery inscriptions, death records, obituaries and more, we have constructed a database of MacGillivrays for these two counties.
To sort out the various lines of MacGillivrays, this project used a number of published works including the following:
“The History of Antigonish” edited by R A MacLean; “Drummer on Foot” edited by R A MacLean and Don MacFarlane;
“A History of the County of Antigonish ” by Rev D J Rankin.
Further, as the project moved forward it became clear that we should expand the project to include all of Nova Scotia. Other published works were consulted including:
“Cuir is Baun” by the Glendale Gaelic and Historical Society;
“A West Wind to East Bay – Pioneer Families of East Bay” by AJ MacMillan.
Consultation with several unpublished manuscripts, including the following:
“Donald MacGillivray a Royal Highlander” by Francis X Hugh MacGillivray
This has resulted in a comprehensive database of the MacGillivray family lines with roots with Nova Scotia
Supporting this database are spreadsheets and word files for the various lines identified.
This database is truly an evergreen document. We welcome your corrections, changes and additional information.
We are attaching a spreadsheet for the MacGillivrays buried at the following cemetery.
Kirkmount Cemetery – Pictou County, Nova Scotia – McGillivray
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
According to the 1881 census there were several different MacGillivray family lines in Prince Edward Island. We have attached the 1881 PEI Census and have started the process to assign the various MacGillivray families to their respective lines.
QUEBEC
According to the 1871 census there were several different MacGillivray family lines in Quesbec. We have attached the 1871 Quebec Census and have started the process to assign the various MacGillivray families to their respective lines.
We are attaching a spreadsheet for the MacGillivray line of Thurso/Lochaber, Quebec.
We are attaching a second family line referred to as McGillivray – Rootie’s Family History and a link to a MacGillivray line that started in Glengarry, Ontario. The descendents can be seen in the 1871 census.
McGillivray – Rootie’s Family History Site
MacGillivray – Angus MacGillivray & Mary MacMaster Glengarry Ontario to St. Polycarpe Quebec
SASKATCHEWAN
We are currently working on a spreadsheet for the various MacGillivray families in the province of Saskatchewan. We are attaching a spreadsheet for the MacGillivrays buried at the following cemetery.
Regina – McGillivrays Riverside Memorial Park Cemetery
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clanmacgillivraycanada.com 
I am Robert Douglas McGilvray (b 1945 Boston USA ) age 75. My son is Alexander Marcus McGilvray, age 37. We live in Vancouver, B.C.
My father’s line include:
Maurice Clinton McGilvray (1903-1961, Massachusetts)
Andrew McGilvray (Massachusetts)
John McGilvray (Cape Breton and later Massachusetts) married to Rosilla Deveaux from Nova Scotia
Duncan (and Jane) McGilvray. – Nova Scotia (CAPE BRETON?)
I have no further info before Duncan and would appreciate any leads, especially as to from where in Scotland the line emmigrated (Mull ?)
Thank you, Bob McGilvray. rmcgil@shaw.ca
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Hello Bob
Working on common dna matches (from Ancestry) and with triangulation together with a distant Clark cousin (roots in Torbrake, Holm, near Inverness early 18th century and no known Macgillivray ancestry), I believe that the Macgillivrays in Canada descended through:
* Andrew Andra Ban McGillivray, b Arasachshire, Inverness married Janet McDonald (this McGillivray turned up a couple of times for my Clark cousin) was in fact Andrew Macgillivray born in 1757 in Torbrek, near Inverness, son of Donald McGillivray (b abt 1725) and Elspet Fraser. Donald was son of Andrew McGillivray of Knocknageil b 18 April 1693 and of Margaret Clark. This Andrew McGillivray was servitor to William Baillie, Commissary Clerk of Inverness.
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*Duncan Donald ‘King’ McGillivray b Sleat, Inverness, married Mary McMillan and applying Occam’s Razor and having to connect with my Clark cousin, I would believe that he too was a member of this family.
Yes, these Canadian descendants also connected to the Dunmaglass Macgillivrays and the Macgillivrays of Dalcrombie – common matches with their descendants.
There is a lot of work that can be done if we share our common matches, but we need a forum where it would be possible for all of us to do this.
Yours aye, Jane Macgillivray
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Hello many years ago I was contacted by Keith Mcgillivray whose email at the time was vve5vj@sk.sympatico.ca which unfortunately no longer works. Does anyone know how I could contact him as I have some more genealogical information for him. Many thanks, Jane Magillivray
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Dear Jane, Thanks for your email. I am searching for a Cape Breton couple named Duncan and Jane McGilvray whose son, John, was my great grandfather and with his NS wife, Rosilla Deveau or Deveaux, moved to Massachusetts. I hope to visit Cape Breton again and do more digging.
Happy Canada Day
Bob. (Robert Douglas) McGilvray. Vancouver, BC. (formerly Massachusetts before 1976)
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Hi Jane,
Was this person from Saskatchewan? My Dad’s cousin ‘Keith McGillivray’ lived in Saskatoon, Sask but passed away a few years ago. I know he was doing quite a lot of genealogy research. Which MacGillivray line are you from?
Lois
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I like to get some information about the macgilveray family tree I’m a grand son of george Augustus O’Donnell and Ann clara O’Donnell born kuhne my grandfather george Augustus O’Donnell is a son of montague nicholas O’Donnell and Mary Ann O’DONNELL born macgilveray of prince edward island canada if so my email is darinmoyer93@gmail.com
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I am a great grand-daughter of Mary MacGillivray who married Donald (Dan) Campbell in Nova Scotia. Her father was Andrew MacGillivray and some write (Andra Ban MacGillivray); her mother was Catherine MacGillivray. I am also the 5th great Granddaughter of Flora MacGillivray who married a John (Pioneer)Gillis and both from Morar, Scotland. I have mixed success in getting the birth and death dates for Andra Ban MacGillivray (right now I have 1793 to 1870) but I worry that I have him confused with another Andra(Andrew) MacGillivray. I also want to verify that this Andra Ban MacGillivray was born in Scotland or Nova Scotia. I have seen both. Can you help me with these questions? I do have both the Rankin and the MacLean books on Antigonish but even they confuse me at times. Thank you for any direction at all. Mary Halvorson
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