`Gillie' is given in the Oxford Dictionary as deriving from the Irish word giolla, and defined as "fellow", "lad" and "servant". In the Scottish Highlands he was the servant who carried his chief across streams.
In early Ireland, a person with a devotion to a particular saint proclaimed himself servant of that saint i.e. Giolla Bride, "servant of St Brigid", Giolla Chaoimhin, "servant of St Kevin", or Giolla Phadraig, "servant of Patrick". All-embracing was he who took Giolla na Naomh, "servant of the saints", as his name.
An early bearer of this name was Giolla na Naomh O Duinn, scholar of Iniscloghrann on Lough Ree (c.1160). He was the principal Irishman of learning of his day. This first name gave rise to the surname Mac Giolla na Naomh, the early anglicisation of which was MacAneave, but was later changed to MacElnea. This is listed three times in telephone directories south of the Border, all in Co Monaghan, while there are eight entries for MacElnay north of the Border in counties Antrim and Down.
According to Edward MacLysaght's Surnames of Ireland, Mac Giolla na Naomh was corrupted to Mac Giollarnath in Connacht, the final syllable of which was mistakenly taken to be ath, "a ford", leading to this name being rendered Ford(e). "It is impossible for any Irishman called Ford(e) to know the origin of his people unless there can be a family tradition to aid him, or alternatively he knows that they have long been located in a particular part of the country," (MacLysaght's Irish Families).
Telephone entries north of the Border list Ford 54 times and Forde 94, while in the south it lists Ford 75 times, and Forde 920. The latter is strong in the 02 and 04 areas, but especially in the 09 area of counties Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal. The English Fordes took their name from "a place by a ford", some of whom settled in Co Meath in the 14th century. This also gave rise to the surname Forth. The Justiciary Rolls (1308-1314) note that among the 12 jurors at a hearing at the common pleas in Dublin in 1308 were Henry, Richard and John (or Adam) de la Ford.
The 1876 Owners of Land of One Acre and Upwards notes Forde holdings in four Leinster counties - Dublin, Kildare, Louth, and Meath; in counties Clare, Kerry, and Cork in Munster; Co Mayo in Connaught, and Co Down in Ulster. This latter holding of 19,882 acres was the property of Col William B. Forde, Seaforde. Seaforde village grew in the 18th century and takes its name from the Fordes, a Wexford family whose ancestry goes back to Wales.
The Irish Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns (1521-1603) records grant to Thady M'Gillernewe, prior, and other conventual persons of the abbey of Granarde of the following pensions - the prior, four marks, Thomas O'Ferrall, 13s 4d; Eugene M'Gyllananewe, 13s 4d; Maurus O'Hyrraghti, 13s 4d; Fergall Crossan, 13s 4d; Conacius Gillananewe, 13s 4d; issuing out of the rectory of Strade Innybrecay. A fiant of 1,582 numbers Donogh M'Gillernewe of Lakill, Co Longford among the pardoned; in 1583 Teige Mac Gillernewe of Tullo, Co Longford was pardoned along with the O'Farrells, the Mac Gillechrists and others; pardoned in the same year was Teige M'Gillnewe of Laghin, Co Longford; in 1591 it was Bryen M'Gillernae of Castlelboy, Co Galway; Una Reogh Ny Gillernewe of Belaliege, Co Longford was among the pardoned in 1593; the same year W M M'Donnell M'Gillernewe of Glanvoghe, Co Mayo were among the pardoned, and in the year 1602 Bryen and Teig McGillneve of Dernygarhaghe, Co Westmeath, and Patrick McGillernewe of the Fues, Co Armagh were listed among the pardoned.
The name of the newly elected Sinn Fein MP, Michelle Gildernew, is listed once in telephone directories south of the Border, in Co Monaghan and 13 times in the North in Co Tyrone, mainly in Benburb. The name doesn't appear in Woulfe's Sloinnte Gaedhael is Gall or MacLysaght's Surnames of Ireland, while de Bhulbh's Sloinnte na hEireann/ Irish Surnames comments that it appears to be Irish, but that "no derivation comes to hand". Considering the flexible manner in which names were spelt in the past and allowing for the erroneous transcription or misreading of a letter, it may be derived from MacGiolla na Naomh.
Benburb, the name of a village and townland in Co Tyrone, derives from An Bhinn Bhorb "the bold/prominent cliff". The cliff in question overlooks the river Blackwater a short distance south of the village.