Irwin Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Irwin last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Irwin last name
Meaning of the Irwin last name: from Irvine, or boar-friend. The Irwin surname has two roots. In Scotland it is a form of Irvine, from places in Dumfriesshire and Ayrshire named after a river. In England it comes from the Old English first name Eoforwine, "boar friend". Scots took the last name to Ulster and on to Pennsylvania. A curious detail of this family name meaning: Irwin, Irvine and Irving can all be the same name in different spellings.
Arms associated with the Irwin name
Scottish heraldry still grants new coats of arms today, and arms associated with the Irwin name are described in a blazon that follows the same rules as centuries ago.
Get your full Irwin family history
This is only a glimpse of the Irwin story. The full Irwin history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Irwin coat of arms. Get the full Irwin report.
Irwin name FAQ
What does the Irwin name mean?
From Irvine, or boar-friend. Common variants include Erwin, Irwine.
Where does the Irwin surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Northern Ireland and England.
Is there a Irwin coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Irwin coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).