Surname McGorry - Meaning and Origin

McGorry: What does the surname McGorry mean?

The surname McGorry is an Anglicized form of the Irish name Mac Bhroí, the prefix Mac meaning “son of” and a shortened version of the Irish Gaelic personal name Bhroí, meaning “hero”. McGorry is most commonly associated with County Sligo, in the Province of Connaught, in the Republic of Ireland. It is believed to have stemmed from the O’Bryens, a powerful clan or sept, whose principal seat was centred around Strade in County Sligo.

The McGorry surname is considered mainly to be a variant of the O’Byrne, although there is also a Scottish background to the name and variations include McGorie, McGoriey, Gorry, Ward and McWard. This was due to the migrations of close relatives from Scotland into Northern Ireland in the 1600s and 1700s and the subsequent mixing of the Mac and Mc forms of the name.

The name can be found written as Gorry, McGorry, McGory, Magory and McGeorry. During the 1700s, the McGorrys migrated to vary locations in Ireland including County Antrim and County Tyrone, whilst others settled in Scotland.

During the 19th century, many members of the McGorry clan emigrated to North America via the port of New York. Today, the McGorry name is well represented in Ireland, the UK, Europe, and the USA. Known relatives include the American singer/songwriter Jim McGorry and the great Irish actor Stephen McGorry.

McGorry: Where does the name McGorry come from?

The last name McGorry is most commonly associated with areas of Ireland, particularly in the provinces of Leinster and Ulster. It is suggested that the name is derived from the Gaelic “Mac an Ghobhair”, meaning “son of the Smith”. Today, the surname is quite common in the north of Ireland, particularly in the counties of Donegal, Derry, Antrim and Down.

It is also quite prevalent in Scotland, where it adopted a slightly different spelling of McGorrey, as well as Cornwall and Devon in the south-west of England. In addition, it can also be found in several areas of the United States. According to data from the Census Bureau, the name is particularly common in California, with the most significant concentrations found in Los Angeles and San Diego counties.

Outside of the English-speaking world, the name is less common, but still present in smaller pockets. For example, in Italy the name has been found in the Veneto province, while in Switzerland, it has been noted in the canton of Zurich.

Variations of the surname McGorry

The surname McGorry is an anglicization of the Irish name Mac Gothraidh, which in English is an appropriate spelling of the same name. While the surname has been spelled variously in documents, the core spelling of the name remains the same.

One variation of the surname McGorry is McGory. This spelling can be seen at times in some documents, but it does not appear to be commonly used.

McGorrie, McGorrye and McGorrey are other variants of the same name. Some sources argue that this spelling of the surname developed due to English phonetic spellings of the name in its original Irish form.

The surnames MacGothraidh, MacGorrie and MacGorry are also derived from the original Irish form of the name, and may also be seen in many documents and documents.

The spelling of the surname may also vary from one family to another. For example, many of the McGorry families who settled in the United States adopted various spellings of the name, as do some families in other parts of the world.

Generally, the vast majority of individuals bearing the McGorry surname use the basic spelling of the name, though slight variations in spelling may be seen from one family to another.

Famous people with the name McGorry

• Jim McGorry: Jim is an American actor and writer best known for his role as Matthew tabloid in the hit Netflix series, Orange is the New Black.
• Steve McGorry: Actor Steve McGorry is most known for playing Dr. Richard Saltzman in the iconic medical soap opera E.R.
• Steve McGorry: Steve McGorry is an Emmy Award-winning television producer and writer whose credits include Roseanne, Wings, Family Matters, Dharma & Greg, and more.
• Patrick McGorry: Patrick is an Australian psychiatrist and professor of youth mental health. He was named Australian of the Year in 2010 and was the founding Executive Director of the Centre for Youth Mental Health, now Orygen, at the University of Melbourne.
• Anda McGorry: Anda is an American singer and songwriter best known for her hit single, "Magical".
• Siobhan McGorry: Siobhan is an Irish actress and former Miss Ireland who has starred in a number of films and television series, including Veronica Mars, The Tudors, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Catherine McGorry: Catherine McGorry is an American artist and art teacher who currently works as Art Specialist in the Bergen County Technical Schools district in New Jersey.
• James McGorry: James is an American football player who currently plays offensive tackle for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League.
• Cate McGorry: Cate is a Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study concerned with developing a better understanding of adolescent experience. Her research focus includes adolescence, youth voice, and youth-adult relationships.
• Liam McGorry: Liam is an actor, writer, and director from Australia who has starred in numerous films, television shows, and theater productions.

Other surnames

McGormanMcGorrieMcGorrock