McGorry Surname History

Origins Available:
Scotland

On the Scottish west coast, the McGorry family was born among the ancient Dalriadan clans. Their name comes from the personal name Goraidh, an Old Norse forename. The Gaelic form of the name was Mac Goraidh, which means son of Goraidh. or son of Godfrey.

Early Origins of the McGorry family

The surname McGorry was first found in on the Isle of Skye, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the McGorry family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McGorry research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1380 and 1600 are included under the topic Early McGorry History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McGorry Spelling Variations

In various documents McGorry has been spelled Since medieval scribes still spelled according to sound, records from that era contain an enormous number of spelling variations. MacGorrie, MacGorry, MacGory, MacGorey and others.

Early Notables of the McGorry family

More information is included under the topic Early McGorry Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McGorry family

Significant portions of the populations of both the United States and Canada are still made up of the ancestors of Dalriadan families. Some of those in Canada originally settled the United States, but went north as United Empire Loyalists in the American War of Independence. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the ancestors of many Scots on both sides of the border begin to recover their collective national heritage through Clan societies and highland games. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Hugh MacGorry, who came to Philadelphia in 1852; David and James MacGory, who settled in Philadelphia in 1856; and Thomas MacGorrie, who was on record in Texas in 1875..

Contemporary Notables of the name McGorry (post 1700) +

Patrick McGorry, Australian, Professor of psychiatry

The McGorry 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: Per mare per terras
Motto Translation: By sea and by land.