Rugged coastal mountains and the windswept Hebrides islands were the home of the first family to use the name McGear. It was originally given to a short person. The Gaelic form of the surname is Mac an gheairr, which means son of the short or low-sized man.
The surname McGear was first found in Kirkcudbrightshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Chille Chuithbheirt), part of the present day Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway, former county in Southwestern Scotland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, and were believed to be descended from one of the many (350) chiefs who accompanied the banished King Colla da Crioch, who left Ireland for the Hebrides and south west Scotland in the year 327. This ancient Irish clann were originally from County Armagh in Ireland.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McGear research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1684, 1658 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McGear History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Many spelling variations of McGear have been recorded over the years, including McGirr, McGeer, McGear, MacGirr, MacGeer, McGhirr and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early McGear Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the McGear family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 68 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Scottish settlers arrived in many of the communities that became the backbones of the United States and Canada. Many stayed, but some headed west for the endless open country of the prairies. In the American War of Independence, many Scots who remained loyal to the Crown re-settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots across North America were able to recover much of their lost heritage in the 20th century as Clan societies and highland games sprang up across North America. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first McGears to arrive on North American shores:
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: