Show ContentsGarey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

In the mountains of Scotland's west coast and on the Hebrides islands, the ancestors of the Garey family were born. Their name comes from the name Macara, which is the Gaelic word for son of the young, manly one.

Early Origins of the Garey family

The surname Garey was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Garey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Garey research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1690, 1745, 1815 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Garey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Garey Spelling Variations

In various documents Garey has been spelled Since medieval scribes still spelled according to sound, records from that era contain an enormous number of spelling variations. McAree, MacAree, McAra, MacAra, McArra, MacArra, McCarra, MacCarra, McCarry, MacCarry, McCarrie and many more.

Early Notables of the Garey family

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

Garey Ranking

In the United States, the name Garey is the 10,079th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]

Ireland Migration of the Garey family to Ireland

Some of the Garey family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 106 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Garey migration to the United States +

The descendants of the Dalriadan families who made the great crossing of the Atlantic still dot communities along the east coast of the United States and Canada. In the American War of Independence, many of the settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Clan societies and highland games have allowed Canadian and American families of Scottish descent to recover much of their lost heritage. Investigation of the origins of family names on the North American continent has revealed that early immigrants bearing the name Garey or a variant listed above include:

Garey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Jon Garey, who landed in Virginia in 1642 [2]

Australia Garey migration to Australia +

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

Garey Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Eliza Ann Garey, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constant" in 1849 [3]
  • George D. Garey, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constant" in 1849 [3]
  • Sarah Levina Garey, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constant" in 1849 [3]

Contemporary Notables of the name Garey (post 1700) +

  • Alva Garey (1883-1971), American politician, Member of the Wisconsin State Senate
  • Enoch Barton Garey (1883-1957), American major in World War I, and later Commander in the Maryland State Police force, President of St.John's College
  • Jason Garey (b. 1984), American soccer player
  • R. J. W. Garey, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Maryland, 1888 [4]
  • Eugene Lester Garey (1891-1953), American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to New York State Constitutional Convention 13th District, 1938 [4]
  • Elizabeth Garey, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 2008 [4]
  • Daniel W. Garey, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Mississippi, 1912 [4]
  • Jo Garey (b. 1974), Australian former cricket player
  • Harrison Garey Bagwell (1914-1973), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Louisiana, 1952, 1960 (alternate); Candidate for Governor of Louisiana, 1952
  • Garey Bies (b. 1946), American politician and former deputy sheriff from Sister Bay, Wisconsin, Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly (2001-2015)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The CONSTANT 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Constant.htm
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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