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History reveals the roots of the Gerig family name in the ancient Strathclyde people of the Scottish/English Borderlands. The Gerig name is derived from the personal name Craig. Thus, Gerig is a patronymic name, taken from the given name of the father or some other ancestor of the bearer. However, Gerig may also be of local origin, referring to those who lived in or near the place called Carrick in Ayrshire. 1
The name could have also been derived from the Gaelic, "carraig" meaning "rock." 2
The surname Gerig was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, and were known as 'the men of Carrick'.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gerig research. Another 252 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1224, 1296, 1320, 1360, 1370, 1371, 1372, 1380, 1429, 1554, 1606, 1665, 1716, 1717, 1779 and 1820 are included under the topic Early Gerig History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Prior to the first dictionaries, scribes spelled words according to sound. This, and the fact that Scottish names were repeatedly translated from Gaelic to English and back, contributed to the enormous number of spelling variations in Scottish names. Gerig has been spelled Carrick, Carick, Carich, Carrich, Karryck, Karrik, Karrick, Kerrich, Kerrick, Carrig, Carrigy, McCarrigy and many more.
Notable amongst the family at this time was John de Carrick (died c. 1380), a native of Carrick, Scotland, Chancellor of Scotland and Bishop-elect of Dunkeld (1370-1371.)
David Garrick (1717-1779)...
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gerig Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In such difficult times, the difficulties of raising the money to cross the Atlantic to North America did not seem so large compared to the problems of keeping a family together in Scotland. It was a journey well worth the cost, since it was rewarded with land and freedom the Scots could not find at home. The American War of Independence solidified that freedom, and many of those settlers went on to play important parts in the forging of a great nation. Among them: