Gilvin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Early Origins of the Gilvin family

Early History of the Gilvin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gilvin research. Another 46 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1317, 1826, 1831, 1860, 1864, 1888, 1891 and 1904 are included under the topic Early Gilvin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gilvin Spelling Variations

Names during the Middle Ages were often recorded under several different spelling variations during the life of their bearers. Literacy was rare at that time and so how a person's name was recorded was decided by the individual scribe. Variations of the name Gilvin include Galvin, Gallivan, O'Galvin and others.

Early Notables of the Gilvin family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was Dan Leno (1860-1904) stage name of George Wild Galvin, the famous English comedian. He was a leading English music hall comedian and musical theatre actor, best known for his music hall act and for his roles in the annual pantomimes that...
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gilvin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gilvin family

Many destitute Irish families in the 18th and 19th centuries decided to leave their homeland, which had in many ways been scarred by English colonial rule. One of the most frequent destinations for these families was North America where it was possible for an Irish family to own their own parcel of land. Many of the early settlers did find land awaiting them in British North America, or even later in America, but for the majority of immigrants that arrived as a result of the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s the ownership of land was often a long way off. These Irish people were initially put to work on such industrial projects as the building of bridges, canals, and railroads, or they worked at manufacturing positions within factories. Whenever they arrived, the Irish made enormous contributions to the infant nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the earliest immigrants to bearer the name of Gilvin were found through extensive research of immigration and passenger lists: James, Joseph, Patrick, Simon, Thomas Galvin who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860; David Galvin settled in Maryland in 1776; J. Galvin settled in Baltimore Maryland in 1822.