Contents [hide]

Irvine History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Sources

Irvine History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

Etymology of Irvine

What does the name Irvine mean?

There was a native Irish Gaelic name Ó hEireamhóin, derived from a personal name of uncertain origins that came to be Irvine, but the great majority of this name in Ireland were planters, who arrived from Scotland in the 17th century. In the case of the latter, their name is ultimately derived from at least two place names in Scotland, the parish of Irving in county Dumfriesshire, or from Irvine in Strathclyde.

Early Origins of the Irvine family

The surname Irvine was first found in Dumfriesshire where they were recorded as a family of great antiquity seated with manor and estates in that shire. Records first show the Irving Clan in the year 1057 when they and other Border Clans assisted King Malcolm Canmore in defeating MacBeth and the unruly Pictish Clans to the north. Later records show that Robert Irving held lands in this county in 1226. Gilchrist Irving acquired land in Dumfriesshire in 1376. The barony, the Forest of Drum was passed on to William Irvine in the county of Aberdeenshire in 1324 and this was to remain in the Irving hands for several generations. Sir Alexander Irvine of this estate, fell in the battle of Harlaw in 1411.

Early History of the Irvine family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Irvine research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1659, 1714, 1740, 1779, 1804 and 1878 are included under the topic Early Irvine History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Irvine Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Irvine, Irving, Ervine, Irwin, Erwin and others.

Early Notables of the Irvine family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

William Irvine (1740-1804) was an Ulsterman, who took a leading role in the American War of Independence...

Irvine World Ranking

In the United States, the name Irvine is the 3,511^st most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Irvine is ranked the 874^th most popular surname with an estimated 6,103 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name Irvine is the 444^th popular surname with an estimated 8,469 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks Irvine as 372^nd with 1,718 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks Irvine as 543^rd with 11,935 people. 5

Migration of the Irvine family to Ireland

Some of the Irvine family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Irvine migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Irvine Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

James Irvine, who landed in New Jersey in 1685 6

Irvine Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Francis Irvine, aged 32, who landed in New York in 1800 6
Alex Irvine, aged 21, who landed in New York, NY in 1804 6
Charles Irvine, who landed in America in 1805 6
Gerard Irvine, who landed in America in 1805 6
Margaret Irvine, aged 23, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1805 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Irvine migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Irvine Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Samuel Irvine, aged 19, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Madawaska" in 1833
Michael Irvine, aged 5, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the barque "Ceres" from Sligo, Ireland
Miss. Elizabeth Reid Irvine who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec but died on Grosse Isle on 9th August 1847 7
Mr. John Irvine, aged 53 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "John & Robert" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle In August 1847 7
Mr. John Irvine, aged 43 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "John & Robert" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle on 16th August 1847 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Irvine migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Irvine Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss. Sarah Irvine (Douglas), British Convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 9th March 1847, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
James Alexander Irvine, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Baboo" in 1848 9
Elizabeth Irvine, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constance" in 1848 10
Mr. Joseph Irvine, British convict who was convicted in Liverpool, Merseyside, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Cornwall" on 28th February 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 11
Thomas Irvine, aged 29, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Marion" 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Irvine migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Irvine Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr Irvine, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Arab
Thomas Irvine, aged 32, a shoemaker, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Arab" in 1841
Eliza Irvine, aged 34, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Arab" in 1841
Edward Irvine, aged 32, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duchess of Argyle" in 1842
Mr. Irvine, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gypsy" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 9th October 1846 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Irvine (post 1700) +

George R. Irvine (1948-2017), American professional basketball player and coach
James Irvine (1793-1835), American educator and Presbyterian minister, 2nd President of Ohio University from 1822 to 1824
Alexander Christian "Alex" Irvine (b. 1969), American fantasy and science fiction writer
Major-General Willard Wadsworth Irvine (1892-1969), American Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff, War Department General Staff (1944-1945) 14
Edith Irvine (1884-1949), American photographer who documented the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
Harry Irvine, American politician, Mayor of Cumberland, Maryland, 1939-42 15
Mrs. H. G. Irvine, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Minnesota, 1936 15
Gordon F. Irvine, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1944 15
Frank Irvine (1858-1931), American Democratic Party politician, District Judge in Nebraska 4th District, 1891-93; Justice of Nebraska State Supreme Court, 1893-99 15
Frances L. Irvine, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Florida, 1992 15
... (Another 47 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Irvine family +

HMS Repulse

Mr. Robert J Irvine, British Petty Officer Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 16

RMS Lusitania

Miss Catherine Irvine, English Stewardess from Seaforth, Lancashire, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 17

Vimy Ridge

Thomas Irvine (1897-1917), Canadian farmer, Private in the 44th Battalion from Manitoba who died at Vimy Ridge May 1917

The Irvine Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Nemo me impune lacessit
Motto Translation: No one provokes me with impunity.

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 35)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th February 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1847
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BABOO 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Baboo.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONSTANCE - 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Constance.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cornwall
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MARION 1851 - HER HISTORY. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Marion.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, March 30) Willard Irvine. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Irvine/Willard_Wadsworth/USA.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/