Gerre Surname History

Origins Available:
Scotland

Etymology of Gerre

What does the name Gerre mean?

The west coast of Scotland and the rocky Hebrides islands are the ancient home of the Gerre family. The root of their name is the personal name Goraidh, an Old Norse forename. The Gaelic form of the name was Mac Goraidh, which means son of Goraidh. or son of Godfrey.

Early Origins of the Gerre family

The surname Gerre was first found in on the Isle of Skye, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Gerre family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gerre research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1380 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Gerre History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gerre Spelling Variations

Spelling and translation were not standardized practices until the last few centuries. Spelling variations are extremely common among early Scottish names. Gerre has been spelled MacGorrie, MacGorry, MacGory, MacGorey and others.

Early Notables of the Gerre family

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

Gerre migration to the United States +

Numerous Scottish settlers settled along the east coast of the colonies that would become the United States and Canada. Others traveled to the open country of the west. At the time of the American War of Independence, some remained in the United States, while those who remained loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The highland games and Clan societies that sprang up across North America in the 20th century have helped many Scots to recover parts of their lost traditions. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Gerres to arrive in North America:

Gerre Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Antoine Gerre, who arrived in Louisiana in 1718 1

Sources +

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)