Contents [hide]

Irwin History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Irwin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

There was a native Irish Gaelic name Ó hEireamhóin, derived from a personal name of uncertain origins that came to be Irwin, but the great majority of this name in Ireland were planters, who arrived from Scotland in the 17th century. In the case of the latter, their name is ultimately derived from at least two place names in Scotland, the parish of Irving in county Dumfriesshire, or from Irvine in Strathclyde.

Early Origins of the Irwin family

The surname Irwin was first found in Dumfriesshire where they were recorded as a family of great antiquity seated with manor and estates in that shire. Records first show the Irving Clan in the year 1057 when they and other Border Clans assisted King Malcolm Canmore in defeating MacBeth and the unruly Pictish Clans to the north. Later records show that Robert Irving held lands in this county in 1226. Gilchrist Irving acquired land in Dumfriesshire in 1376. The barony, the Forest of Drum was passed on to William Irvine in the county of Aberdeenshire in 1324 and this was to remain in the Irving hands for several generations. Sir Alexander Irvine of this estate, fell in the battle of Harlaw in 1411.

Early History of the Irwin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Irwin research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1659, 1714, 1740, 1779, 1804 and 1878 are included under the topic Early Irwin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Irwin Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Irvine, Irving, Ervine, Irwin, Erwin and others.

Early Notables of the Irwin family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Alexander Irwin (d. 1779), Bishop of Killala...

Irwin World Ranking

In the United States, the name Irwin is the 939^th most popular surname with an estimated 32,331 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Irwin is ranked the 622^nd most popular surname with an estimated 8,280 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name Irwin is the 473^rd popular surname with an estimated 7,957 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks Irwin as 407^th with 1,614 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks Irwin as 872^nd with 7,833 people. 5

Migration of the Irwin family to Ireland

Some of the Irwin family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Irwin migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Irwin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Irwin, who settled in Virginia in 1642

Irwin Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Irwin, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1712
Nathaniel Irwin, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1740 6
James Irwin, who settled in Antigua in 1774
John Irwin, who settled in Maryland in 1774
Boyle Irwin, who landed in America in 1798-1802 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Irwin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

David Irwin, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1802 6
Ann Irwin, aged 9, who arrived in Wiskasset (Wiscasset) in 1803 6
Mary Irwin, who settled in Wiscasset in 1803
Edward Irwin, aged 50, who arrived in Wiskasset (Wiscasset) in 1803 6
Patrick Irwin, aged 31, who arrived in Wiskasset (Wiscasset) in 1803 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Irwin Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. Richard Irwin, (b. 1884), aged 21, Cornish labourer travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Mississippi, USA 7
Mr. William Irwin, (b. 1884), aged 21, Cornish labourer travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Tougaloo, Mississippi, USA 7

Irwin migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Irwin Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

James Irwin, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749

Irwin Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Thomas Irwin, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1827
William Irwin, aged 22, who landed in Quebec in 1835
Mr. Thomas Irwin, aged 24 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Scotland" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle In July 1847 8
Mr. William Irwin, aged 23 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "John & Robert" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle on 23rd August 1847 8

Irwin migration to Australia +

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

Irwin Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Irwin, (b. 1769), aged 47, Scottish flax dresser who was convicted in Aberdeen, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Fame" on 9th October 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
Mr. Joseph Irwin, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Chapman" on 6th April 1824, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
Frederick Irwin, a wire-worker, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
Mrs. Margaret Irwin, (b. 1784), aged 45, Irish house maid who was convicted in Antrim, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Edward" on 1st January 1829, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, listed as having 4 children 11
Abraham Irwin, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "Africaine" in 1836 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Irwin 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:

Irwin Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Arthur Irwin, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
Mr. William Irwin, British settler arriving as the 1st detachment of Royal New Zealand Fencible Corps travelling from Tilbury, Essex aboard the ship "Ramillies" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 6th August 1847 13
Mrs. Sarah Irwin née Potterton, British settler travelling from Tilbury, Essex aboard the ship "Ramillies" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 6th August 1847 13
Miss Margaret Irwin, (b. 1830), aged 32, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 14
Mr. Robert Irwin, (b. 1838), aged 24, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Irwin (post 1700) +

Robert W. Irwin (1928-2023), American installation artist who explored perception and the conditional in art
John Rice Irwin (1930-2022), American cultural historian, founder of the Museum of Appalachia in Norris, Tennessee
James Irwin (1930-1991), American NASA Astronaut with over 295 hours in space and the eighth man to walk on the Moon 15
Hale Irwin (b. 1945), American professional PGA golfer who won three U.S. Opens, the oldest ever U.S. Open champion in 1990, at the age of 45
Donald Jay Irwin (1926-2013), American politician, 32nd Mayor of Norwalk, Connecticut (1971-1975), Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut (1959-1961)
Major-General Stafford LeRoy Irwin (1893-1955), American Commanding General US Forces Austria (1950-1952) 16
Brigadier-General Constant Louis Irwin (1893-1977), American Commandant Infantry Replacement Training Center Camp Blanding (1943-1944) 17
Kenneth Dale Irwin Jr. (1969-2000), American 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year
Major General Sir James Murray Irwin (1858-1938), Irish born, British Army doctor in Sudan, the Boer War and World War I
Charles Irwin VC (1824-1873), Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross
... (Another 13 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Irwin family +

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. William F Irwin, British Boy, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 18

Ibrox disaster

George McFarlane Irwin (1949-1971), Scottish football supporter, from Argyll who was at the Ibrox disaster on 2nd January 1971 when a human crush among the crowd killed 66 and injured 200 people he died of his injuries 19

SS Atlantic

Mr. Irwin, (Erwin), infant, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
Mrs. Elizabeth Irwin, (Erwin), who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking

The Irwin 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: Nemo me impune lacessit
Motto Translation: No one provokes me with impunity.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 35)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 26th January 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/chapman
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th November 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/edward
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) AFRICAINE 1836. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1836Africaine.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
NASA Astronauts Homepage. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) James Irwin. Retrieved from http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/irwin-jb.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, March 30) Stafford Irwin. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Irwin/Stafford_LeRoy/USA.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, March 30) Constant Irwin. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Irwin/Constant_Louis/USA.html
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
Bradford City Football Club In memory (retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://www.bradfordcityafc.com/club/in-memoriam/