The Garvie Surname

THE GARVIE SURNAME
Notes

GARVIE, SEPT OF CLAN MACLEAN

Perthshire tradition has it that the Garvies are descended from John Garbh, seventh MacLean of Coll, through one of his sons, probably John of Totaranald. This son was wounded at the Battle of Inverkeithing in 1651, and did not return to Coll. His three sons (or grandsons) John, James and Patrick rented Upper Balgarvie, Lower Balgarvie, and Mill of Balgarvie in the parish of Scone, Perthshire from the Earl of Mansfield. Their descendants were tenants of Muirtown, Haggis Hall and several other farms near Perth. This according to the Rev. Alfred Ernest Garvie in his autobiography, Memories and Meanings of My Life (George Allen & Unwin Ltd) page 15. He writes...

When William of Orange visited Scotland in 1689 the Lowlands were ready to receive him as King; but the Highland clans rose in rebellion, among others the Maclean clan, on the summons of Viscount Dundee. After the defeat at Killiecrankie, the clansmen were scattered. Some of the Macleans settled in Perthshire, and assumed the name Garvie, which is found in a parish register in 1690; and is said to be derived from a Gaelic word garbh, meaning strong or rough. The Garvies in Perthshire claimed descent from Lachlan Maclean of Coll, and the Garvies in Ross-shire had a McLeod for ancestor. (ibid p.15)

In Agents of Change, Scots in Poland 1800-1918 by Mona Kedslie McLeod (Tuckwell Press ISN#1 86232 081 0 ) page 116 we find...

The Garvie brothers were descended from the Macleans of Coll. Backing the wrong side in the first Jacobit Rising of 1689, they forteited their lands, adopted their nickname 'garbh', the Gaelic for rough or strong, and moved to Perthshire in search of a living. By the end of the eighteenth centruy Perth had become one of the centres of the developing linen industry and was enjoying a building boom...

Direct lines to Gille-Eathain Called Gillean na Tuaighe
MacLean, McLean, Maclean, Mclean, M'Lean, MacClean, Macclean, McClean, Mcclean, M'Clean, Maklean, M'Klean, Macklean, Makclean, McKlean, MacLaine, McLaine, Maclaine, Mclaine, M'Laine, MacClaine, Macclaine, McClaine, Mcclaine, M'Claine, Maklaine, M'Klaine, Macklaine, Makclaine, McKlaine, MacLane, McLane, Maclane, Mclane, M'Lane, MacClane, Macclane, McClane, Mcclane, M'Clane, Maklane, M'Klane, MacKlane, Macklane, Makclane, McKlane, Makllane, MacLain, McLain, Maclain, Mclain, M'Lain, MacClain, Macclain, McClain, Mcclain, M'Clain, Maklain, M'Klain, Macklain, Makclain, McKlain, MacLeane, McLeane, Mcleane, Macleane, M'Leane, MacCleane, Maccleane, McCleane, Maccleane, M'Cleane, Makleane, M'Kleane, Mackleane, Makcleane, McKleane, M'Gleane, MacLan, McLan, Maclan, Mclan, M'Lan, MacClan, Macclan, McClan, Mcclan, M'Clan, Maklan, M'Klan, Macklan, Makclan, McKlan, MacLene, McLene, Mclene, Maclene, M'Lene, MacClene, Macclene, McClene, M'Clene, Maklene, M'Klene, Macklene, Makclene, McKlene, MacLen, McLen, Mclen, Maclen, M'Len, MacClen, Macclen, McClen, Mcclen, M'Clen, Maklen, M'Klen, Macklen, Makclen, McKlen, MacLayne, McLayne, Maclayne, Mclayne, M'Layne, MacClayne, Macclayne, McClayne, Mcclayne, M'Clayne, Maklayne, Macklayne, M'Klayne, Makclayne, McKlayne, Malayne, MacLayn, McLayn, Maclayn, Mclayn, M'Layn, MacClayn, Macclayn, McClayn, Mcclayn, M'Clayn, Maklayn, Macklayn, M'Klayn, Makclayn, McKlayn, MacLyn, McLyn, Mclyn, Maclyn, M'Lyn, MacClyn, Macclyn, McClyn, Mcclyn, M'Clyn, Maklyn, M'Klyn, Macklyn, Makclyn, McKlyn, MacLyne, McLyne, Maclyne, Mclyne, M'Lyne, MacClyne, Macclyne, McClyne, Mcclyne, M'Clyne, Maklyne, Macklyne, M'Klyne, Makclyne, McKlyne, Makelyne, MacLynne, McLynne, Maclynne, Mclynne, M'Lynne, MacClynne, Macclynne, McClynne, Mcclynne, M'Clynne, Maklynne, Macklynne, M'Klynne, Makclynne, McKlynne, Makelynne, MacClune, McClune, M'Clune, Macklune, MacClun, McClun, M'Clun, Macclone, McClwne, M'Clwne, M'Clwn, MacLeone, McLeone, Mcleone, Macleone, M'Leone, MacCleone, Maccleone, McCleone, Mccleone, M'Cleone, Makleone, M'Kleone, Mackleone, Makcleone, McKleone, MacLeon, McLeon, Mcleon, Macleon, M'Leon, MacCleon, Maccleon, McCleon, Mccleon, M'Cleon, Makleon, M'Kleon, Mackleon, Makcleon, McKleon, MacLin, McLin, Maclin, Mclin, M'Lin, MacClin, Macclin, McClin, Mcclin, M'Clin, Maklin, M'Klin, MacKlin, Macklin, Makclin, McKlin, MacLeen, McLeen, Macleen, Mcleen, M'Leen, MacCleen, Maccleen, McCleen, Mccleen, M'Cleen, Makleen, M'Kleen, Mackleen, Makeleen, Makcleen, McKleen, MacLion, McLion, Maclion, Mclion, M'Lion, MacClion, Macclion, McClion, Mcclion, M'Clion, Maklion, M'Klion, Macklion, Makclion, McKlion, MacLine, McLine, Macline, Mcline, M'Line, MacCline, Maccline, McCline, Mccline, M'Cline, Makline, M'Kline, Mcklaine, Mackcline, Makcline, McKline, MacLein, McLein, Maclein, Mclein, M'Lein, MacClein, Macclein, McClein, Mcclein, M'Clein, Maklein, M'Klein, MacKlein, Macklein, Makclein, McKlein, MacLeand, McLeand, Macleand, Mcleand, M'Leand, MacCleand, Maccleand, McCleand, Mccleand, M'Cleand, Makleand, M'Kleand, Mackleand, Makcleand, McKleand, MacGlone, MacClone, MacLoon, (Galloway), Macklier(Sweden), Mackelein(Prussia), Malyane, M'Killeane, MackCleiden, Makelyne, MacOlaine, McOlaine, M'Olaine, M'Ollaine, MacOleane, McOleane, M'Oleane, V'Oleane, MacOlloine, McOlloine, M'Olloine, MacIleain, Mackelein, MakIlane, M'Illclayne, McIlaine, McIllaine, Mcillaine, Mcillayn, McIllon, Mcillion, Makilane, Lane, Lain, Laine, Layne, Layn, Lean, Gillean, Gilean, Gileain, Gilleoin, Gilleon, Gillian, Gillon, Gillzean, Gilzean, Gilsean, Gilzeane, Gillane, Gillan, Gilland, Gilhon, Gellion, Mac Gille-Eoin, MacGilleathain, Mac Ghill'Eathain, MacGillean, M'Gillean, Makgillean, MacGillelane, M'Gillelane, Macgillelane, MacGillayne, McGillayne, M'Gillayne, MacGillane, McGillane, M'Gillane, Makgillane, MacGillyane, McGillyane, M'Gillyane, Makgillyane, MacGilloyne, McGilloyne, M'Gilloyne, Makgilloyne, MacGillon, McGillon, M'Gillon, Makgillon, MacGilhon, McGilhon, M'Gilhon, Makgilhon, MacGilleon, McGilleon, M'Gilleon, Makgilleon, MacGilleoin, McGilleoin, M'Gilleoin, Makgilleoin, MacGilleone, McGilleone, M'Gilleone, Makgilleone, MacGilleoun, McGilleoun, M'Gilleoun, Makgilleoun, MacGilleoune, McGilleoune, M'Gilleoune, Makgilleoune, Megilleoune, MacGillichean, McGillichean, M'Gillichean, Makgillichean,

Major Sept Names
(Please note that the septs have a number of variant spellings, which are not listed here)
Avoy, Beath, Beaton, Beatie, Beattie, Beatty, Beeton, Bheath, Bheatha, Bheaton, Bethune, Betun, Bey, Black, Clanachan, Claneachainn, Clanichan, Cormack, Cormic, Cormick, de Bethune, Dewart, Douie, Doward, Dowart, Dowie, Dowey, Dowy, Duart, Duie, Eachainn, Echan, Eichan, Evoy, Fadyen, Garbhe, Garvie, Garvey, Gilhon, Gillan, Gilland, Gillean, Gillivray, Gillon, Huey, Huie, Jarvie, Lain, Laine, Lane, Layne, Leach, Lean, Leatch, Lech, Leche, Leiche, Leitch, Leytch, Litch, MacAvey, MacAvoy, Macavy, MacBay, MacBeath, MacBeatha, MacBea, McBea, MacBee, McBee, MacBeth, MacBheath, MacBheatha, MacCormack, McCormack, MacCormaig, MacCormaich, MacCormick, McCormick, MacClanachan, MacCracken, McCracken, MacCraken, McCraken, MacEachan, MacEachain, MacEvoy, Macevy, MacFadden, MacFaden, MacFadgen, MacFadyen, MacFadzean, MacFayden, MacFethridge, MacFetridge, MacGarvie, MacGarvey, MacGeachan, MacGillean, MacGillivray, Macgilvra, McGilvray, MacGuire, Maguire, MacGwyer, MacHarvey, Maciduy, Macildowie, Macildue, Macilduff, Macileich, Macilergan, Macilhuie, Macilvra, Macilvera, Macilvora, MacLergain, MacLegran, MacPeadrus, MacPhadden, MacPhaiden, MacPhetridge, MacQuarrie, MacQuarie, MacQuire, MacRankin, MacRaing, MacSpadden, McSpadden, MacSpedden, McSpedden, MacVay, MacVeagh, MacVeigh, MacVey, MacVie, McVie, Maguire, Niger, Paden, Padon, Paton, Patten, Peden, Raing, Rankan, Rankin, Rankine, Ranking, Vay, Vey

All of the above have been historically documented as being of , from, or having joined the main branch or cadet branches of the Clan Gillean and thus a part of the Clan.

Lachlan and Hector founded the two main branches of the clan, the MacLeans of Duart and the MacLaines of Lochbuie, both based on the Isle of Mull.

At one time there were some 25 Chiefs of just the Main Branches of the Clan. Septs would frequently maintain their own Chiefs even once allied with the Clan MacLean. It is highly likely that most of us with enough digging would indeed be related to one of the "Chiefs" of the Clan.

In the USA alone 1 in every 12,240 people bear the names of the root Clan MacLean.
Approximately 4.9 million people bear the name of MacLean or a major sept (and it's variants), in the USA alone. (1990 census data)

Acknowledgements:
Clan Maclean Home Page
Tim MacLaine, Alasdair White, U.S. Census data 1990 G.P.O.)

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THE WORD GARVIE IN THE COMMON LANGUAGE

Names and words and their origins and meanings are fascinating.

There is something in a name, either of an individual or of a family, if the record is an honourable one. If we beat the name, it gives us an ideal and a motive to follow in the same lines, and it is ideas and ideals, not physical forces, that lie at the foundation of things. - Roy Cambell's grandfather

I got my last name, Sparkman, from my great great grandfather back in the caveman days. He is the one who discovered fire. So they called him Sparkman. - American boy, aged 11

At school in Edinburgh, one of my nicknames was Sprat; and my eldest sister was asked by rude boys in the Sunday-school, where she taught in Echo Bank: "Hoo many garvies dae ye get for a penny?" - Alfred Ernest Garvie

In Scotland the word 'garvie' conjures up the idea of fish. Now that has many symbolic associations, doesn't it? In South Africa, however, the word 'garvie' is not very complimentary.

An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language, John Jamieson, Paisley, Alex Gardner, 1880

GARVIE, s. The sprat, a small fish, taken in friths and bays, S. Clupea sprattus, Linn.

"Sardina, the sprat: I take this to be the same fish we call the Garvie." Sibb. Fife, 127

"-They are often very successful in taking the smaller fish, such as herrings, garvies, or sprats, sparlings or smelts." P. Alloa, Statist. Acc., viii. 597.

This is considered by some as merely a young or small-sized herring. But it is a different species. The Germans seem to have the same idea with respect to the sprat, which is entertained by many in many S. as to its being a kind of herring. For they call it meerhering, from meer, the sea, and hering, a herring. Why it should be called a sea herring, it is not easy to conjecture.

It might seem probable that this fish, as being of an uncertain species, received its name from the place in the vicinity of which it had been first caught, Inch-Garvie in the Firth of Forth. It is, however, unfavourable to this idea, that they are called Garvocks near Inverness.

"The fish caught on this coast are herring, and garvocks or sprats;" Statist. Acc., ix. 609.

The Dictionary of the Scots Language (DSL) comprises electronic editions of the two major historical dictionaries of the Scots language: the Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (DOST) and the Scottish National Dictionary (SND). DOST contains information about Scots words in use from the twelfth to the end of the seventeenth centuries (Older Scots); and SND contains information about Scots words in use from the eighteenth century to the present day (modern Scots). (http://www.dsl.ac.uk/dsl/index.html)

Several entries in the DSL relate to the name "garvie":

Garvine, n. [Of obscure origin.] G. fish, a sprat. ” Three fishes called garvine-fishes; 1680 Mackenzie Sci. Her. 61. When men at Forth eat garvine-fishes; Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1751)

GARVIE , n. Also gervie; garve (Crm. 1829 H. Miller Herring Fishing 15). [Sc. ÈgÑrvi, ÈgÑrvÙk, but Rxb. + ÈgÛrvi] 1. The sprat, Clupea sprattus (Fif. 1710 R. Sibbald Fif. & Knr. 53; Abd. 1878 Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc. Abd. 91, garvie , garvock; Mry., Tay, Forth 1903 G. Sim Fauna of œDee 263; ne.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., gervie; Inv., Slg., Fif., Edb. 1954). Also garvie -fish (Sc. 1705 J. Spruel Accompt Current 11), - herring and garvock (Sim). *Per. 1722 W. MacFarlane Geog. Coll. (S.H.S.) I. 306: In this parish [Tuliallan] there is . . . great quantitys of sprats known here by the name of Garvies. *Sc. 1768 Weekly Mag. (1 Dec.) 288: A little below Stirling, in a cruive for catching of garvie s. *Inv. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 IX. 609: The fish caught on this coast, are herrings, and garvocks, or sprats. *m.Lth. 1811 Wernerian Soc. Mem. I. 545: Garvie -herring. It is a prevalent opinion among the fishermen of Newhaven, that this is nothing else than the young of the common herring. *Sc. 1826 œMrs Dods Manual ii. 123: In Scotland sprats, garvocks, etc. and herrings, are roasted on the girdle which toasts the family bread, and this plan answers very well in cottage economy. *Fif., *Edb. 1881 in Fife Jnl. (13 Jan.) 5: Numbers of the Firth of Forth œ garvies, as they are called, find their way to some of the large Enghsh towns; and it is no secret that large quantities of them are despatched to market in tin boxes cured as sardines. *Edb. 1929 F. Grierson Haunting Edb. 39: Bervies and garvies, cockles, whelks and mussels. *Rs. 1936 C. Macdonald Echoes Glen xviii.: Magnificent fresh herrings were procurable as well as Kessocks and garvie s. 2. A small specimen of any fish, e.g. of a trout. *Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.: Thae's only gervies.   3. Fig. in pl.: a nick-name given to the Ninety-Fourth Foot Regiment (2nd Battalion Connaught Rangers) because of the youth or poor physique of the recruits, most of whom came from the Edinburgh district. *Lnl. 1867 A. Dickson Rambling Recoll. 35: The 94th regiment of the line was embodied in Linlithgow . . . generally named the Scotch Brigade but the townspeople called it the Garvies . . . because it consisted of mere boys. *Sc. 1869 N. & Q. (4th Series) III. 298: The 94th regiment, which, when it was re-raised in 1823, was called the Garvies on account of the lankness of the recruits, who were chiefly raised in Scotland. [O.Sc. garvine-fish, 1680, garvie -, 1681, id., of uncertain origin. It has been suggested that it may come from Inch Garvie in the Firth of Forth. Garvock = Gael. garbhag, id., which itself is from the Sc. garvie .]

KINGERVIE, n. A species of wrasse, ? Labrus bergylta (Fif. 1808 Jam.). *Fif. 1710 R. Sibbald Hist. Fif. 53: Turdi alia species: It is called by our Fishers, the Sea-Tod or Kingervie. [Phs. king + gervie s.v. Garvie , the sprat; a small fish of any kind. Cf. king herring s.v. King, 3. (23) and (34).]

GARROCH, n. The sprat, Clupea sprattus (Rs. 1911 per Mry.2, Rs. 1948). [ÈgÑrÔx] [Gael. garbhag, id., from Garvie , q.v.]

The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Edition, Vol.VI, Oxford 1989

Garvie ('garvi). Sc. Also garvine, garvock. [Origin uncertain. The form garvock is app. = Gael. Garbhag, but the latter may be from Sc. The earliest quots. give garvie-fishes (see 2).]

1. A sprat.

    1742 De Foe's Tour Gt. Brit. IV.9, Soles, Flukes, Garvie, Eels are also caught on the Scottish Coasts in great Plenty.

    1793 Statist. Acc. Scotl. VIII. 597 They are often very sccessful in taking the smaller fish, such as herrings, garvies or sprats, sparlings or smelts.

    1794 Ibid. IX. 609 The fish caught on this coast are herrings, and garvocks or sprats.

    1885 Bertram Harvest of Sea 56 The pilchard..ought to be the Sardinia of commerce, but its place is usurped by the sprat, or garvie as we call it in Scotland.

2. Attrib. and Comb., as garvie-fish, -fishery, -fishing, garvie-herring (Ogilvie) = sense 1.

    1680 Sir G. Mackenzie Sci. Her. 61 Three Fishes called Garvine-fishes.

    1681 Colvil Whigs Supplic. (1751) 16 When men eat roasted hens and veal, And those at Forth eat Garvie fishes.

    1870 Pall Mall G. 19 Apr., The fishermen themselves had rather a prejudice against garvie fishing.

    1881 in Fife Jrnl 13 Jan. 5/5 During a good season it is estimated that the 'garvie fishery' of the Forth yields #10,000.

A Dictionary of South African English on Historical Principles, OUP, 1996

Gawie /'xa'vi/ n. derog. Also garvie, ghawi. [Afk., prob. Fr. Nickname Gawie, fr. Gabriel.]

1963 D. Wright Letter. 16 Apr. (Pringle Coll. 462/47, N.E.L.M.):
Censorship as proposed will make idiots of their children, make real garvies of them, unable to hold enlightened conversation with anyone in the outside world.

1964 J. Meintjes Manor House 119:
They referred to the backvelders as duine-molle, japies, takhare, gawies and so on.

1970 J. Stodel Informant, Cape Town:
I can hear by your ghawi-accent that you're from 'South Africa.' A ghawi accent is a mixture between an Afrikaans and English accent.

1970 M. van Rensburg Informant, Port Elizabeth:
Gawie. A countryman or peasant not versed in town manners.

1991 S.C. Scholten Informant, Durban:
Gawie. (Uncomplimentary) ..Afrikaans local boy. 1992 P. Dobson Informant, Cape Town Jaap; Gawie; Crunchie; Hairyback; Rockspider; Rock, Dutchman: an Afrikaner.

NAMING CONVENTIONS

The Irish

First born son named after his father's father
Second born son named after his mother's father
Third born son named after his father
Fourth born son named after his father's oldest brother
Fifth born son named after his father's 2nd oldest brother
or his mother's oldest brother

First born daughter named after her mother's mother
Second born daughter named after her father's mother
Third born daughter named after her mother
Fourth born daughter named after her mother's oldest sister
Fifth born daughter named after her mother's 2nd oldest sister
or her father's oldest sister

The English.

Naming Patterns in England, 1700-1875
1st son -- father's father
2nd son -- mother's father
3rd son -- father
4th son -- father's eldest brother
1st daughter -- mother's mother
2nd daughter -- father's mother
3rd daughter -- mother
4th daughter -- mother's eldest sister
Younger children would be named after earlier ancestors, but the pattern in their case was more varied.

One variation from the above was for the eldest son to be named after the mother's father and the eldest daughter after the father's mother. In this case the second son would be named after the father's father and the second daughter after the mother's mother. Occasionally the second son and daughter would be named after the father and mother
instead of the third son and daughter. Another variation was to name the third daughter after one of the great-grandmothers instead of after the mother. In such a case, the fourth daughter would usually be named after the mother.

The Scottish

Birth order
Males
Females

1st of sex
Males   ...named after father's father
Females ....named after mother's mother

2nd of sex
Male....named after mother's father
Female....named after father's mother

3rd of sex
Male....named after father
Female....named after mother

4th + of sex
Male...named after other relatives
Female....named after other relatives

This is the typical naming pattern followed by many Scottish families. Names were often re-used if a child died.

The first generation of South African Garvies adopted the Scottish convention of naming their children:
   1st son named after the paternal grandfather.
   2nd son named after the maternal grandfather.
   1st daughter named after the maternal grandmother
   2nd daughter named after the paternal grandmother.
Hence we have John Garvie and Donald Sutherland Garvie. This custom arises from the spiritual relation of the grandfather and grandson, a relation which produced in the mind of primitive peoples the conviction that the soul of the grandfather returns in the grandson. This is an almost universal conviction. The grandson is given the grandfather's name, which by its mystic spell is said to bind his soul afresh to the corporeal world. It was a naive way of stating that each individual recapitulates (traverses all the phases which the family history has undergone) the "spirit" of the family from which he descends.

oOo