Show ContentsComrie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Comrie family

The surname Comrie was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland in the parish of Comrie. " The name is derived from a Gaelic term signifying 'Confluence,' used in this instance in reference to the junction of the rivers Earn, Ruchill, and Lednock near the site of the church of Comrie. Several traces of camps and fortifications, some of which have been recently obliterated by the operations of husbandry, connect it with the military enterprises of the ancient Romans. " 1

Early History of the Comrie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Comrie research. Another 253 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1446 and 1476 are included under the topic Early Comrie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Comrie Spelling Variations

Scottish names from the Middle Ages vary enormously in their spellings. This is a result of the fact that there were no universal standards like dictionaries for scribes to judge by. The recorded spelling variations of the name Comrie include Comri, Comry, Combry, Comerie, Comerbrie, Cumry, Comrie, Comrye, Comerye, Comerbry, Cromerbyre, Combrie, Combrai, Comrai, Comraie, Combraie, Combrey, Comerie and many more.

Early Notables of the Comrie family

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


Comrie migration to the United States +

Settlers found farms all along the eastern part of what would become the United States and Canada. They provided a base and a backbone that would strengthen two great nations in the making. In the 20th century, the ancestors of those brave Scots have rediscovered their heritage through highland games and Scottish historical societies. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Scottish name Comrie or a variant listed above, including:

Comrie Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Margaret Comrie, who arrived in Virginia in 1739 2
Comrie Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mike Comrie, aged 23, who landed in America from Glasgow, in 1905
  • Tom Comrie, aged 25, who landed in America from Coatbridge, in 1905
  • William Comrie, aged 30, who immigrated to America from Alva, in 1907
  • Margt. Comrie, aged 28, who immigrated to the United States from Kirkintellock, Scotland, in 1912
  • Mary Comrie, aged 60, who landed in America from Blairgouie, Scotland, in 1912
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Comrie 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:

Comrie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • William Comrie, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
  • Miss Mary Comrie, (b. 1861), aged 2 months, Scottish settler, from Dumbarton travelling from London aboard the ship "Royal Stuart" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 8th October 1861 3
  • Mr. David Comrie, (b. 1825), aged 36, Scottish ploughman, from Dumbarton travelling from London aboard the ship "Royal Stuart" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 8th October 1861 3
  • Mrs. Mary Comrie, (b. 1831), aged 30, Scottish settler, from Dumbarton travelling from London aboard the ship "Royal Stuart" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 8th October 1861 3
  • Miss Ann Comrie, (b. 1849), aged 21, Scottish dairy maid, from Perthshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Ramsey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 17th June 1870 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Comrie (post 1700) +

  • Leroy Comrie, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 2004 4
  • Alexander Comrie (1708-1774), Scottish theological writer who was a young man went over to Holland
  • Adam Comrie (1990-2020), Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who died from a motorcycle collision on August 8, 2020 at the age of 30
  • Neil Comrie (b. 1947), former Chief Commissioner of Police for Victoria, Australia
  • Leslie John Comrie (1893-1950), New Zealand astronomer, eponym of the lunar "Comrie Crater"
  • Bernard Comrie (b. 1947), British-born linguist
  • Paul Comrie (b. 1977), Canadian former professional ice hockey forward
  • Anne Comrie Jolliffe (1933-2021), first Australian woman animator, best known for her work on the film Yellow Submarine (1967–68) and the 48th Academy Award winning Great! (1975)


The Comrie 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: Ad metam
Motto Translation: To the mark.


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  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. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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