16,100 Irving members around the world

Irving Family History

This interesting surname, with variant spellings Irvin(e), Ervin(e), Urvine, Erving etc., is of Scottish territorial origin either from Irving, the name of an old parish in Dumfriesshire, or from Irvine in Strathclyde. Both places are so called from a Celtic river name, probably composed of elements related to the Welsh "ir", "yr", green, fresh, plus "afon", water. The surname first appears on record in the early part of the 13th Century, (see below). Other early recordings include Robert de Iruwyn (Edinburgh circa 1260); Simon de Irwsyn, witness, the 1296, "Assize Court Rolls of Cheshire", John de Herwyne, tenant under the Douglases in the barony of Buittle, 1376, and Gilchrist Herwynd, tenant of the parish of Morton in the same year.