| ![Show Contents]() Iris History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of IrisWhat does the name Iris mean? The roots of the distinguished surname Iris are Old French, the language spoken by the conquerors who came to England in 1066. The name is derived from "Ireis," meaning "Irish," and denotes someone who comes from Ireland. Early Origins of the Iris familyThe surname Iris was first found in Shropshire, where one of the first records of the family was Sir Adam de Ireys (1070-1117), born in the town of Ireys, Dorset, accompanied Godfrey of Bouillon on the First Crusade to help take Jerusalem in 1099. As a result of his valiant efforts, he was knighted and granted the right to bear arms. His son Hugh D'Iryshe, born c. 1115 had another son, Edmund D'Iryshe (born c. 1150) who died in Jerusalem in the 3rd Crusade with Richard the Lionhearted and was posthumously awarded the St. George's Cross for his valor. A few years later, Richard Ireis, was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire in 1169. Roger Iryshe (born c. 1120) was Bishop of Carlisle after the death of his older brother, Randolph, who also held the position of Bishop c. 1220 before him. Early History of the Iris familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Iris research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1273 and 1379 are included under the topic Early Iris History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Iris Spelling VariationsBefore English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Iris include Irish, Irishe, Ireys, Irysh, Iris and others. Early Notables of the Iris familyDistinguished members of the family include - Richard le Irishe, a prominent 13th century landholder
Migration of the Iris family to IrelandSome of the Iris family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Iris familyA great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Jone Irish, who immigrated to Virginia in 1653; John Irish, who sailed to Barbados in 1669; George Irish, who arrived in Bristol, Rhode Island in 1679.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Iris (post 1700) | + |
- Dame Jean Iris Murdoch DBE (1919-1999), Irish novelist and philosopher, best known for her novels about good and evil, sexual relationships, morality, and the power of the unconscious including her first published novel, Under the Net, which was selected in 1998 as one of Modern Library's 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century
- Mrs. Margaret Iris Henderson B.E.M., British recipient of the British Empire Medal on 8th June 2018, for services to the community in Northern Ireland 1
- Ralph Iris Steadman (b. 1936), British cartoonist & illustrator
- Margaret Iris Duley (1894-1968), Newfoundland's first novelist
- Daphne Iris Bloomberg, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Maryland, 1996 2
- Iris Cummings (1920-2025), also known by her married name Iris Critchell, American aviator and competition swimmer
- Iris M. Zavala (1936-2020), Puerto Rican author who has over 50 works to her name, plus hundreds of articles
- Iris Hudson (b. 1947), American author of novels for children, born as Dorothy Mavis Jukes
- Iris Fariña Romano (1930-2023), better known by her stage name Cristina Morán, was a Uruguayan journalist, radio and television personality and actress
- Iris Calderhead (1889-1966), American suffragist and organizer in the National Woman's Party, daughter of William A. Calderhead, the congressional representative for Kansas' 5th District from 1895 to 1911
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