Contents [hide]

Geary History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Australia New Zealand Canada United States

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Sources

Geary History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of Geary

What does the name Geary mean?

Irish surnames are linked to the long Gaelic heritage of the Island nation. The original Gaelic form of the name Geary is "O Gadhra," which is derived from the word "gadhar," which means "dog."

Early Origins of the Geary family

The surname Geary was first found in County Sligo (Irish: Sligeach), in the province of Connacht in Northwestern Ireland, where they were Chiefs of Coolavin aad Sliabh Lugha. (O'Hart)

The surname also spelled Gara, O'Gara, and Gerry is descended from Tiachleach, Lord of South Leyney who was killed in 964 A.D. The Geary family was closely associated with the O'Haras from an early time and the chiefs of the two septs alternated as rulers of Luighne. 1

"The O'Garas were lords of the territory of Luighne, now forming and giving name to the barony of Leyney or Lieny, in the county of Sligo, whence they were expelled by the MacSurtains and the Mac Costelloes, families of Anglo-Norman descent." (O'Hart)

Once more into the archives we delved to find life in early times was fraught with battles and deaths. By example, some of the first entries of the family include: Tiachleach O'Gara, slain in 964; Rory O'Gara, tanist of Leyney, slain; Rory O'Gara, heir presumptive died in 1059; Donlevy O'Gara, lord of Leyney, killed by Brian O'Hara; O'Gadhra, lord of Layney, slain at battle of Ardee; and O'Gara, lord of Sliabh-Lugha, died. (O'Hart)

Early History of the Geary family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Geary research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1710, 1727 and 1796 are included under the topic Early Geary History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Geary Spelling Variations

Irish names recorded during the Middle Ages are characterized by many spelling variations. This preponderance of variations for common names can be explained by the fact that the scribes and church officials that kept records during that period individually decided how to capture one's name. These recorders primarily based their decisions on how the name was pronounced or what it meant. Research into the name Geary revealed many variations, including Geary, Gara, O'Gara, O'Geary, Gearie, Gearey and many more.

Early Notables of the Geary family

Sir Francis Geary (1710?-1796),was an "admiral, of a family long settled in Cardiganshire, entered the navy in 1727 on board the Revenge, one of the fleet sent into the Baltic under the command of Sir...

Geary Ranking

In the United States, the name Geary is the 2,703^rd most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 2

Geary migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the First Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

First Fleet

Mr. Thomas Geary, (b. 1774), aged 15, British settler convicted in London, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for petty theft, transported aboard the ship "Neptune" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 3

Following the First Fleet, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Geary Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Mr. Michael Geary, (b. 1762), aged 31, Irish convict who was convicted in Cork, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Boddingtons" on 15th February 1793, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1820 4

Geary Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Stephen Geary, British convict who was convicted in Leicester, Leicestershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Competitor"18th March 1823, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5
Mr. William Geary, British Convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 25th June 1838, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
Mr. George Geary, English convict who was convicted in Hertford, Hertfordshire, England for 15 years, transported aboard the "Earl Grey" on 4th October 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Mr. James Geary, English convict who was convicted in Derby, Derbyshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Barossa" on 9th May 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
Mary W Geary, aged 27, a cook, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Joseph Somes" in 1850 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Geary migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Geary Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Geary, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Sir Edward Paget" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 15th August 1856 10
Mrs. Geary, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Sir Edward Paget" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 15th August 1856 10
Mr. John Geary, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Sir Edward Paget" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 15th August 1856 10
Denis Geary, aged 25, a farm labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Maraval" in 1879
Michael Geary, aged 23, a farm labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Maraval" in 1879
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Geary migration to Canada +

Geary Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Dennis Geary, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749

Geary Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Margaret Geary, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1830
Catherine Geary, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1831
James Geary, aged 28, a blacksmith, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Reward" from Cork, Ireland
Peter Geary, aged 32, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Levant Star" from Cork, Ireland
William Geary, aged 30, a smith, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Levant Star" from Cork, Ireland
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Geary migration to the United States +

Geary Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Geary, who arrived in Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1652 11
Brigit Geary, aged 3, who arrived in New York in 1654 11
John Geary, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682 11
John, Geary Jr., who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682 11
Henry Geary, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1682 11

Geary Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Eleanor Geary, who landed in America in 1744

Geary Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Richard Geary, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1808 11
Patrick Geary, who landed in New York NY in 1816 11
Mary Geary, who landed in New York State in 1822
Mary Geary, aged 30, who landed in America in 1822 11
Alexander Geary, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1823 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Geary (post 1700) +

Anthony Geary (1947-2025), born Tony Dean Geary, an American seven-time Daytime Emmy Award winning actor, best known for his first soap role was David Lockhart (1971-1972) on Bright Promise (1969-1972), and later when he joined the cast of General Hospital as Luke Spencer
George Reginald Geary, Canadian politician, Mayor of Toronto, Ontario, from 1910 to 1912
Rick Geary (b. 1946), American cartoonist and illustrator
John White Geary (1819-1873), American lawyer, politician, Union general in the American Civil War, 16th Governor of Pennsylvania
Jarryn Geary (b. 1988), Australian rules footballer
Sir William Nevill Montgomerie Geary (1859-1944), 5th Baronet
Sir Francis Geary (1811-1895), 4th Baronet
Sir William Richard Powlett Geary (1810-1877), 3rd Baronet, English Conservative Party politician
Sir William Geary (1756-1825), 2nd Baronet, English Tory politician from West Peckham, Kent
... (Another 21 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Geary family +

HMS Queen Charlotte

Mr. Charles Geary, British seaman who was aboard the ship "HMS Queen Charlotte" off the coast of Capraia, Italy when she caught fire on the 17th March 1800; listed as survived

The Geary Motto +

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: Fortiter et fideliter
Motto Translation: Boldly and faithfully.

Sources +

MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/boddingtons
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/competitor
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-gray
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barossa
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) JOSEPH SOMES / SOAMES 1850. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850JosephSomes.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
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)