Irving is a Scottish surname rooted in the wild frontier country of the West March, where the great riding families lived by the lance and the moonlit raid. It is the name of one of the noted Border reiver kindreds of Dumfriesshire.
Quick answer: Irving is a Scottish surname from the south-west of Scotland, the name of a Dumfriesshire family — the Irvings of Bonshaw — who were noted Border reivers; it shares its roots with the Aberdeenshire Irvines.
Where Does the Irving Name Come From?
The name comes from old lands in the south-west of Scotland, and the surname is found in the closely related spellings Irving and Irvine. While the Aberdeenshire branch became the Irvines of Drum on Royal Deeside, the Dumfriesshire family settled in the Borders, where they took their place among the riding surnames of the West March.
The Irvings of Bonshaw
The chief house of the Border family was the Irvings of Bonshaw, near Annan in Dumfriesshire, whose tower stood in the debatable country close to the English line. In the lawless centuries of the sixteenth, the Irvings were one of the active reiver kindreds of the West March — families who lived by cattle-raiding and feud in the disputed ground between the two kingdoms, before the union of the crowns in 1603 finally brought the reiving age to an end. For the Aberdeenshire branch and Drum Castle, see our history of Clan Irvine.
Own a Piece of Irving Heritage
The Irving name appears across a range of keepsakes — a crest mug for daily use, an outdoor garden flag, and a Christmas ornament — each pairing the family name with a tartan-background crest design.
Popular Irving gifts: Crest Mug · Garden Flag · Ornament
Frequently Asked Questions About the Irving Name
What nationality is the Irving surname?
Irving is Scottish, associated especially with Dumfriesshire in the south-west Borders.
Is Irving the same as Irvine?
They are closely related spellings of the same name; the Dumfriesshire family used Irving, while the Aberdeenshire branch became the Irvines of Drum.
Were the Irvings Border reivers?
Yes — the Irvings of Bonshaw were among the riding families of the West March in the reiving era.
Where was the Irving family seat?
The chief house was Bonshaw Tower, near Annan in Dumfriesshire.
If you're proud of your Irving heritage, you can explore gifts and home décor featuring the Irving name by using the search bar above.
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