Yarr History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland/England
Scotland

Early Origins of the Yarr family

The surname Yarr was first found in Selkirkshire, now a historic county and registration county of Scotland. Yarrow, a place "of considerable antiquity, was originally designated as the parish of St. Mary; its present name was acquired from the removal of the church to the banks of the river Yarrow, about the middle of the 17th century, since which time the parish has invariably retained the name of that river. The surrounding district formed part of the royal forest of Ettrick, and in the reign of Bruce was recovered from the English by Sir James Douglas, upon whom, as a reward for his fidelity, that monarch conferred the lands, which at the same time he erected into a free royalty. " 1

The name "Yarrow" is derived from garw which is derived from the Celtic and Irish word garbh meaning "rough" or "turbulent" river. 2

Further to the south in England, Jarrow is a parish, partly in the union of Gateshead, and partly in that of South Shields, of the county of Durham. 3 4

The name was first recorded in Yarrowhall, near Hexham.

Early History of the Yarr family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Yarr research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1561 and 1603 are included under the topic Early Yarr History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Yarr Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Yarrow, Yarro, Yarroe, Yarrowe, Yarrowhall and others.

Early Notables of the Yarr family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

the Yarrow family or grayne of the Border

Yarr 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:

Yarr Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Edward Yarr (Jarr), (b. 1828), aged 35, Irish farm labourer, from Antrim travelling from London aboard the ship "Metropolis" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 16th June 1863 5
Mrs. Rose Yarr (Jarr), (b. 1829), aged 34, Irish settler, from Antrim travelling from London aboard the ship "Metropolis" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 16th June 1863 5
Miss Mary Yarr (Jarr), (b. 1855), aged 8, Irish settler, from Antrim travelling from London aboard the ship "Metropolis" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 16th June 1863 5
Miss Helena Yarr (Jarr), (b. 1857), aged 6, Irish settler, from Antrim travelling from London aboard the ship "Metropolis" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 16th June 1863 5
Miss Isabella Yarr (Jarr), (b. 1859), aged 4, Irish settler, from Antrim travelling from London aboard the ship "Metropolis" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 16th June 1863 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html