Irishe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Irishe

What does the name Irishe mean?

The roots of the distinguished surname Irishe are Old French, the language spoken by the conquerors who came to England in 1066. The name is derived from "Ireis," meaning "Irish," and denotes someone who comes from Ireland.

Early Origins of the Irishe family

The surname Irishe was first found in Shropshire, where one of the first records of the family was Sir Adam de Ireys (1070-1117), born in the town of Ireys, Dorset, accompanied Godfrey of Bouillon on the First Crusade to help take Jerusalem in 1099. As a result of his valiant efforts, he was knighted and granted the right to bear arms.

His son Hugh D'Iryshe, born c. 1115 had another son, Edmund D'Iryshe (born c. 1150) who died in Jerusalem in the 3rd Crusade with Richard the Lionhearted and was posthumously awarded the St. George's Cross for his valor.

A few years later, Richard Ireis, was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire in 1169. Roger Iryshe (born c. 1120) was Bishop of Carlisle after the death of his older brother, Randolph, who also held the position of Bishop c. 1220 before him.

Early History of the Irishe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Irishe research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1273 and 1379 are included under the topic Early Irishe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Irishe Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Irishe are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Irishe include: Irish, Irishe, Ireys, Irysh, Iris and others.

Early Notables of the Irishe family

Richard le Irishe, a prominent 13th century landholder

Migration of the Irishe family to Ireland

Some of the Irishe family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Irishe family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Irishe or a variant listed above: Jone Irish, who immigrated to Virginia in 1653; John Irish, who sailed to Barbados in 1669; George Irish, who arrived in Bristol, Rhode Island in 1679.