This interesting and unusual name is of Scots and Irish origin, and is the Anglicization of the Scots Gaelic, Mac Giolla Riabhaigh", meaning son of the brindled lad. Callery is one of the many variants, of these names which are generally found as MacKilrea and MacIlrea in Ireland and Mac Ilwraith in Scotland. In Kilmuir, Skye, there is a place called Baile Mhic Illeriabhaich, "township of the Macgilleriabhachs". It is thought that the M'Ilwraiths belonged to these lands and a bond of manrent between them and the Lord of the Isles was signed at Castle Camus, Sleat, Skye, on August 13th 1632. One Beesy Callery, the daughter of Peter Callery and Bridget Power on September 1868 at Ballinameen, Roscommon. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Make Gille Reue, which was dated circa 1300, Carlisle, during the reign of King Edward 1, "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. 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.

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