McGraw History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Suffering from poverty and racial discrimination, thousands of Irish families left the island in the 19th century for North America aboard cramped passenger ships. The early migrants became settlers of small tracts of land, and those that came later were often employed in the new cities or transitional work camps. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. Although the immigrants from this period were often maligned when they arrived in the United States, they provided the cheap labor that was necessary for the development of that country as an industrial power. Early immigration and passenger lists have revealed many immigrants bearing the name McGraw:

McGraw Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Thomas McGraw, who arrived in America in 1810 4
• Joseph McGraw, aged 30, who landed in New York in 1812 4
• Catherine McGraw, who landed in Mississippi in 1825 4
• Michael McGraw, aged 22, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 4
• Hugh McGraw, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1855 4
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McGraw Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• Private. Neil McGraw U.E., (McRae, McCraw) (b. 1755) born in Argyleshire, Scotland who settled in York County, New Brunswick c. 1787, then relocated to Tabinsutac, New Brunswick in 1798 he served in the 1st Battalion, 42nd Highlanders known as the Black Watch, married to Mary Edwards having 10 children, he died in 1834 5

McGraw Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Miss Mary McGraw, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Earl of Liverpool" in December 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
• Mr. John Mcgraw, (b. 1794), aged 37, English farmers man who was convicted in Northumberland, England for life for breaking and entering, transported aboard the "Camden" on 21st March 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7
• Mr. Thomas McGraw, Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 27th May 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
• John McGraw, aged 41, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Sea Park" 9
• Ellen McGraw, aged 22, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Sir Thomas Gresham" 10

McGraw Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Mr. W. McGraw, Scottish settler travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th October 1861 11
• Mrs. McGraw, Scottish settler travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th October 1861 11
• Miss McGraw, Scottish settler travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th October 1861 11
• Mr. John Mcgraw, (b. 1838), aged 25, Scottish farm labourer, from Ross-shire travelling from London aboard the ship "Metropolis" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 16th June 1863 12

• Phillip Calvin McGraw (b. 1950), best known as Dr. Phil, an American television personality, psychologist and author
• Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw (b. 1967), American singer, actor, and record producer from Start, Louisiana, winner of three Grammy Awards, 14 Academy of Country Music awards, 11 Country Music Association (CMA) awards, 10 American Music Awards, and three People's Choice Awards
• Warren Randolph McGraw (1939-2023), American jurist and politician in West Virginia, brother of former West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw
• James H. McGraw (1860-1948), American co-founder of The McGraw-Hill Companies and President of the company from 1917-1928
• Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw Jr. (1944-2004), American MLB baseball relief pitcher, perhaps best remembered for coining the phrase "Ya Gotta Believe", which became the rallying cry for the 1973 New York Mets
• Private First Class Francis X McGraw, American soldier awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1944
• John Harte McGraw (1850-1910), American politician, 2nd Governor of Washington state
• Eloise Jarvis McGraw (1915-2000), American author of children's books, three-time winner of the Newbery Honor Award
• John Joseph "Muggsy" McGraw (1873-1934), American Major League Baseball player and manager
• Edward McGraw, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Rensselaer County 1st District, 1896-97 13
• ... (Another 36 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

• Dunkin-Reid and Garner-McGraw-Mobley Families of South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama by Dean Smith Cress.
• Early McGraw Families of Arkansas County, Arkansas by Carolyn Cloud Stanley.