| ![Show Contents]() McGary History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name McGary has changed considerably in the time that has passed since its genesis. It originally appeared in Gaelic as Mag Fhearadhaigh, derived from the word "fearadhach," possibly meaning "manly." 1 Early Origins of the McGary familyThe surname McGary was first found in Connacht (Irish: Connachta, (land of the) descendants of Conn), where they held a family seat from ancient times. 2 Over in Devon, England, "The ' Domesday ' manor of Kari, in the parish of St. Giles-in-the-Heath, was the first recorded seat of the Gary family ; and one branch continued to reside there so late as the reign of Elizabeth. As early, however, as the reign of Richard II. it ceased to be their principal home. Sir William Gary then settled at Clovelly, and his brother Sir John, Chief Baron of the Exchequer, acquired, with many other manors, that of Cockington, only to lose them all by deciding for Richard against the Commissioners. His attainder was reversed in favour of his son Robert, who gained the favour of Henry V. by vanquishing an Aragonese knight in Smithfield. Two generations later the family were again in difficulty. Sir William Gary, grandson of Robert, was an ardent Lancastrian ; and one of those who, after the fatal battle of Tewkesbury, took refuge in the Abbey Church. Two days later the refugees were treacherously beheaded. The usual forfeiture followed; but Sir William's eldest son, Robert, obtained restoration from Henry VII. He was the ancestor of the present stock of Devonshire Carys. From his half-brother spring the ennobled Carys, represented by Lord Falkland." 3 Early History of the McGary familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our McGary research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1585, 1667 and 1668 are included under the topic Early McGary History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. McGary Spelling VariationsThe archives that survive today demonstrate the difficulty experienced by the scribes of the Middle Ages in their attempt to record these names in writing. Spelling variations of the name McGary dating from that time include Garry, Garrihy, Hare, O'Hare, O'Heihir, MacGarry and many more. Early Notables of the McGary familyAnother 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McGary Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. McGary RankingIn the United States, the name McGary is the 7,590th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4
 McGary migration to the United States | + |
A massive wave of Irish immigrants hit North America during the 19th century. Although many early Irish immigrants made a carefully planned decision to leave left Ireland for the promise of free land, by the 1840s immigrants were fleeing a famine stricken land in desperation. The condition of Ireland during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s can be attributed to a rapidly expanding population and English imperial policies. Those Irish families that arrived in North America were essential to its rapid social, industrial, and economic development. Passenger and immigration lists have revealed a number of early Irish immigrants bearing the name McGary:
McGary Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- John McGary, who landed in America in 1800 5
- James McGary, who arrived in America in 1811 5
- Peter McGary, who landed in Mississippi in 1846 5
- Edward McGary, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 5
| McGary migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: McGary Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century- Edward McGary, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Ugoni" from Belfast, Ireland
- Margaret McGary, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1843
| McGary migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: McGary Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
| Contemporary Notables of the name McGary (post 1700) | + |
- Austin McGary (1846-1928), American Restoration Movement evangelist and publisher
- Mitch McGary (b. 1992), American blue chip high school basketball player
- Ethel McGary (1907-1975), American Olympic freestyle swimmer
- Phil M. McGary, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Kentucky 4th District, 1980 7
- Hugh McGary, American politician, Postmaster at Evansville, Indiana, 1818-19 7
- Robert McGary (b. 1962), Irish professional footballer
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: Fear garbh ar mait
Motto Translation: Here is a good rough man.
- Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
- MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
- Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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McGary migration to the United States 
McGary migration to Canada 
McGary migration to Australia 
Ireland
England
