I’m finding it difficult to establish the true origin of the Gorey name. Some sources say it is Scottish, from Skye, others that it’s an Anglicised version of the Irish name O’Guire.
From this site: Tadhg O’Guaire, who was slain in 1032, is described by the Four Masters as Lord of Uí Cuilinn: In 1406 Richard Gowery acquired English liberty at Maynooth; in 1618 "white lights" were specially provided at the wake in Dublin of Walter Gorry of the Merchant Tailors Guild; four of the name appear in the Co. Meath Inquisitions between 1619 and 1638; Henry Gory of Trim, Co. Meath, was among the first Jacobites outlawed in 1669; Seaghan Ó Guaire was the author of the Jacobite song "Ar maidin inde". There are few to be found in the eighteenth century but in the nineteenth they are met them again, mainly in Co. Offaly e.g., in Griffith's Valuation. In the 1865 birth registrations there are ten Gorrys, all in the Tullamore area — the two Goreys in the same year were born respectively in Waterford and Dublin.
The surname Gorey is never a toponymic derived from the town in County Wexford.
This site adds another theory:
This interesting name is of Gaelic Irish origin, and has two possible derivations. Firstly, it may be an Anglicised form of the Gaelic “(Mac)Gofraidh”, itself a Gaelicised form of an Old Norse personal name composed of the elements “guth”, god, and “frothr”, wise. The modern surname from this source can be found as McGorrie (the patronymic form), Gorry, Gorey and Gurry. The second possible derivation for these names is from an Anglicised form of the Gaelic name “O’Ghaire”, from “gnaire”, noble.
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Traced my Gorry surname back to County Meath, Ireland where John Gorry (believed born around 1816?) in Beauparc parish later joined the RIC.
John Gorry joined the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) in 1936, serving his entire service in County Armagh. His son was a police officer serving in County Mayo & County Donegal until he retired at the turn of the 20th Century.
Would be very interested if you or any other contacts could assist further in tracing back the Gorry surname.
Kind regards,
Joe Gorry
This may of may not be of much help to you. Our family tree has been traced quite a way back by persons living on the Isle of Man. My parents would take late night or early morning calls from “relatives” living in Douglas and Peel asking after family affairs. My parents are deceased and the calls (and contact) has stopped.
I am told the derivative of Gorry goes back a fair way (10th century). Here’s an insight http://www.mcb.net/iom/intro.html
Cheers
Iain
Twitter: mgorey
says:
Thanks Iain. The Manx connection may be an importance piece in the jigsaw puzzle.
It was always my understanding that the name Gorey was a patronymic for certain descendants of Guaire Aidhneach mac Colmáin “the hospitable” king of Connaught (655 A.D). The Irish language form of the name is Ó Guaire. “Guaire” means bristle in Irish and presumably refers to the king’s beard, consistent with ancient Irish naming practices which often referenced physical characteristics.
The Scottish Goreys (also Gowrie, Gorry, etc.) are a distinct group and are a clan sept of the MacDonalds.
My Gorey ancestors were presumably from the border area of Cork and Tipperary border and came to the U.S. during the great hunger entering through Boston and settled in Sangamon Co., Illinois.