The Irvine surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 9,397 people carried this name — #3,769 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 31,300 people counted. That is up 3% from 9,127 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Irvine surname

A surname from Scottish Gaelic derived from the place name.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Irvine» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 68 births for the Irvine name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 3,000 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 2 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Antrim and Fermanagh.”

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 62
Leinster 3
Connacht 2
Munster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

22 people named Irvine is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 22

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In Scotland, 1880s

Irvine was 10 in every 10,000 names in Scotland.

That is about 1 in 1,000. Its home there, in Guppy’s words: “Principal home in the Scottish border counties, especially in Dumfriesshire.” He counted the more than 20,000 names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, taking Scotland as a whole, and listed only the names that reached 10 in every 10,000.

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), appendix: alphabetical list of the most frequent Scottish names, p. 590 — public domain · names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, per 10,000 for the whole country.

In Scotland’s registers today

Irvine was recorded 169 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 131st most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 258. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

In 1790, Irvine was counted together with Irwin: 294 families in all.

Each family is counted by its head. About 1,595 people lived in those households, 5.4 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Irwin, Ervan, Erven, Ervewin, Ervin, Ervine, Erving, Ervwin, Ervwn, Erwin, Erwine, Erwinn, Erwyn, Irven, Irvin, Irvine, Irving, Irwen, Irwin, Irwine, Urvin. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 147
North Carolina 60
South Carolina 26
Virginia 17
New York 16
Maryland 11
Massachusetts 7
Vermont 4
New Hampshire 2
Connecticut 2
Maine 1
Rhode Island 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 247 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Irvine in American newspapers,
1876–1913.

Newspaper page from The State Journal carrying the name Irvine
The State Journal 1876-04-07
Newspaper page from The Anaconda Standard carrying the name Irvine
The Anaconda Standard 1895-09-08
Newspaper page from The Birmingham Age-herald carrying the name Irvine
The Birmingham Age-herald 1913-11-05

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 4,848 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Irvine in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

131,888 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Irvine. The most, 41,089, date from the 1900s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 1.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 50,011
New South Wales 35,821
Queensland 15,831
South Australia 10,829
Western Australia 9,931
Tasmania 8,869
ACT (Canberra) 347
Northern Territory 90

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Irvine.

Who carried it

People named Irvine,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Irvine
    John Irvine 1805–1888 · painter
  • Julia Irvine
    Julia Irvine 1848–1930 · pedagogue
  • Leigh H. Irvine
    Leigh H. Irvine 1860–1942 · writer
  • Alexander Irvine
    Alexander Irvine 1863–1941
  • Wesley Irvine
    Wesley Irvine 1866–1945 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 315 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Irvine,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States2,108 records

2,108 records of the Irvine name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 559
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 426
  • Other U.S. records 1,123
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Henry G. Irvine

    Born 1914 in Pennsylvania. Enlisted 1941 at Harrisburg; foundry worker from Dauphin County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2001, buried at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Pennsylvania.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Wesley A. Irvine

    Born 1920 in California. Enlisted 1941 at Los Angeles; office clerk from Los Angeles County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1980, buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Antonio Irvine

    Arrived at New York in 1905 aboard the Weimar from Genoa and Naples, aged 31; laborer. From Scisciano, Napoli, Italy; bound for Chicago.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 2,108 records for Irvine in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia2,547 records

2,547 records of the Irvine name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,414
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 367
  • Other Australian records 766
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Mary Irvine

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Waverley, sailing from Dublin in 1842. Native of Fermanagh. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1845.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Matilda Irvine

    Died 1869 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 33. Will registered in Tasmania in 1869.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Sarah Irvine

    Arrived in Victoria in 1889 aboard the Liguria, aged 8; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 2,547 records for Irvine in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada318 records

318 records of the Irvine name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 114
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 49
  • Other Canadian records 155
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Eliz Irvine

    Came to Ontario in 1866 aboard the Nova Scotia, landing at Quebec, bound for Stratford, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record James Christie Irvine

    Buried in 1977 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 48.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Jamie Vaughan Irvine

    Buried in 1981 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 22.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.

Showing 3 of 318 records for Irvine in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom158 records

158 records of the Irvine name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 79
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 50
  • Other British records 29
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Donald Meldrum Irvine

    Born 1886 at Grantown-on-Spey; plumber. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Irvine

    Died 1984, aged 86; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Harriet Irvine

    Buried in 1822 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 32.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 158 records for Irvine in the United Kingdom.

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand59 records

59 records of the Irvine name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 52
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 3
  • Other New Zealand records 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Alice Irvine

    Died 1920, aged 49; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Roderick Francis Irvine

    Died 1998, aged 51; buried at Picton Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Agnes Irvine

    Buried in 1899 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 78.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 59 records for Irvine in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands17 records

17 records of the Irvine name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 11
  • Dutch population registers 5
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Mary Irvine

    Married in 1736 in Rotterdam; born in Shiels.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Philip Rogers Irvine

    In the population register of Utrecht; born 1900 in Workington (Eng).

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Theresa Gladijs Clifton Irvine

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage; born 1898 in Derby.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 17 records for Irvine in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France2 records

2 records of the Irvine name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Mary Clarenza Irvine

    Born 1918 in Australia; died 2000 in Beaulieu-lès-Loches (Indre-et-Loire).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Irvine in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Ireland1 record

1 record of the Irvine name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Robert Irvine

    Died 1881; buried at Athenry Heritage Centre, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Irvine.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Irvine is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Irvine volume
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