Show ContentsDerkson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Irish names tend to vary widely in their spelling and overall form. The original Gaelic form of the name Derkson is Ó Deirg, from the word "dearg," which means red. [1]

Early Origins of the Derkson family

The surname Derkson was first found in County Mayo (Irish: Maigh Eo) located on the West coast of the Republic of Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they held a family seat in the baronies of Carra, Erris, and Tyrawley. They were descended from Fiachra, brother of Niall Mor, more commonly known as King Niall of the Nine Hostages, perhaps Ireland's greatest General/King.

Early History of the Derkson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Derkson research. Another 127 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1557, 1578, 1601, 1608 and 1656 are included under the topic Early Derkson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Derkson Spelling Variations

Within the archives researched, many different spelling variations of the surname Derkson were found. These included One reason for the many variations is that scribes and church officials often spelled an individual's name as it sounded. This imprecise method often led to many versions. Derig, O'Derig, O'Derrig, Derrig, Derieg, Derick, Derrick, O'Derick, O'Derrick, O'Durrig, Durrig, Derigan, Derigen and many more.

Early Notables of the Derkson family

Notable among the family name at this time was Donogh Dáll Ó Derrig, aka Blind Donogh O'Derrick, Irish rapparee, executed December 1656.Thomas Derrick (fl. 1608) was an English executioner. Little is known of his lineage. However, he was convicted of rape, and was subequently pardoned if he became the executioner at Tyburn. Derrick executed more than 3,000 people in his career, including his pardoner, the Earl of Essex, in 1601. The...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Derkson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Derkson migration to the United States +

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the Derkson family relocated to North American shores quite early:

Derkson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Gerh Derkson, aged 46, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1875 [2]


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
  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)


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