Contents [hide]

McMartin History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

McMartin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

The original Gaelic form of McMartin was Mac Giolla Mhartain. This name denotes a devotee of St. Martin. This saint founded the first monastery in France c. 360 and was made Bishop of Tours in 372. He is the patron saint of publicans and inn-keepers and is also a patron saint of France.

Early Origins of the McMartin family

The surname McMartin was first found in County Galway (Irish: Gaillimh) part of the province of Connacht, located on the west coast of the Island, where they had been granted lands by Strongbow after the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1172, and became one of the "Tribes of Galway." Kilmartin is a small village in Argyll and Bute, in western Scotland. It is best known as the center of Kilmartin Glen, one of the best examples of standing stones in Scotland. Kilmartin Castle, a small tower house, dating from about 1580, stands above the village and was the property of the Campbells.

Early History of the McMartin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McMartin research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1600, 1648, 1652 and 1722 are included under the topic Early McMartin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McMartin Spelling Variations

The recording of names in Ireland during the Middle Ages was an inconsistent endeavor at best. Since the general population did not know how to read or write, they could only specify how their names should be recorded orally. Research into the name McMartin revealed spelling variations, including Gilmartin, Kilmartin, MacKilmartin, MacGilmartin and many more.

Early Notables of the McMartin family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McMartin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McMartin Ranking

In the United States, the name McMartin is the 16,829^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

McMartin migration to the United States +

Death and immigration greatly reduced Ireland's population in the 19th century. For the native Irish people poverty, hunger, and racial prejudice was common. Therefore, thousands left their homeland to seek opportunity in North America. Those who survived the journey and the quarantine camps to which they arrived, were instrumental towards building the strong developing nations of the United States and the future Canada. By far, the largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. These were employed as construction or factory workers. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has shown early immigrants bearing the name McMartin:

McMartin Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Peter McMartin, aged 21, who arrived in New York, NY in 1775 2
Duncan McMartin, who arrived in New York in 1789 2

McMartin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Finlay McMartin, aged 46, who landed in New York in 1812 2

McMartin migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McMartin Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. John McMartin U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1784 3
Mr. John McMartin U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 3
Mr. Malcolm McMartin U.E. who settled in Eastern District, Williamsburgh, South Dundas, Ontario c. 1784 3
Mr. Malcolm McMartin U.E. who settled in Eastern District, Charlottesburgh [South Glengarry], Ontario c. 1784 3

McMartin migration to Australia +

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

McMartin Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Peter McMartin, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Rajasthan" in 1838 4
Peter McMartin, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Rajasthan" in 1840 5
Charlotte McMartin, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Rajasthan" in 1840 5
Peter John McMartin, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Rajasthan" in 1840 5

McMartin 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:

McMartin Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Duncan McMartin, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 30th July 1861 6

Contemporary Notables of the name McMartin (post 1700) +

John McMartin (1929-2016), American five-time Tony award winning, four-time Drama Desk Award winning actor of stage, film and television, inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 2009
Peter McMartin (1805-1870), American politician, 2nd Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey (1840-1841)
Duncan McMartin Jr. (1776-1837), American politician, Member of the New York State Senate (1820-1822)
Barbara McMartin (1931-2005), American mathematician
John McMartin (1870-1918), Canadian businessman and politician who represented Glengarry and Stormont, Ontario from 1917 to 1918
Trent McMartin, Canadian music journalist and entertainment writer
Alexander McMartin (1788-1853), Canadian businessman and politician in Upper Canada, the first person born in Upper Canada to serve in its Legislative Assembly
Grant McMartin (b. 1970), Scottish former professional footballer

The McMartin 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: Auxilium meum a domino
Motto Translation: My help is from the Lord.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) RAJASTHAN 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838Rajasthan.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) RAJASTHAN 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Rajasthan.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html