Gorey family crest
While web searching Gorey family history I came across this:
The motto apparently translates as “By sea and by land”. The text said:
The Hebrides islands and the west coast of Scotland are the ancestral home of the Gorey family. Their name comes from 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.
Spelling variations include: MacGorrie, MacGorry, MacGory, MacGorey and others.
First found in on the Isle of Skye where they were seated 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.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were: Thomas MacGorrie settled in Texas in 1875; Hugh MacGorry settled in Philadelphia in 1852; David and James MacGory settled in Philadelphia in 1856.
My understanding is that the Goreys are Irish and that some made their way to Scotland, so I have no idea if this information applies to my family or not.
The fact the name may be of Norse origin “son of Godfrey” makes it possible the Irish and Scots variations are all related. Who knows?
I'm a 41-year-old father of four working as a newspaper editor at Mount Gambier in South Australia.
September 19th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Hi my name is :Joyce Taylor & my Great-Grandmother had come from :Tullamore, Ireland & her name was: Maryann Margaret Dell Gorry *Gorrie*, she was a mail order bride :she was only about 18 or there abouts when she came over from Ireland, she had lived with my Great-Grandfather until she was old enough to marry him,as she was his 2nd wife:His name was :Robert Strongman, they had lived in a place called: Kerikeri,Bay Of Islands, New Zealand. Now I’m trying to find any of the Gorry,Gorrie.Gorey ,Families.
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:07 am
Hi Michael,
I am Irish and the Gorey name does indeed come from Ireland . The Gaelic translation means “son of a noble”. The connection to the Hebrides is always possible as the Celts in Scotland and Ireland are very much common and the languages are similar.
Hope this helps you .
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:37 am
Hi Brendan,wow that is really good to know that. as I’m into my Gaelic Ancestry in a big way. As I have a 2 Solid Silver & 1 Gold Claddag Rings from Ireland ,the Silver ring has an unpolished Emerald in the centre of the heart, and I wear them with pride, and just knowing the Gorey (Gorrie,Gorry)Family history is so good to know.
November 16th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Hi Joyce my family must have missed taking the famine ship as most of the Goreys left during the famine in 1845. My grandparents were located in Dublin county in a small village called Clondalkin. The city has spread to engulf this town now and it is part of the city. You can e mail me at yerog@yahoo.com if you wish. The Scottish versions tend to spell our name as Gorrie or Gorry….take care.