Irving Family Pages

Family History

For visitors who wish to view our genealogy data click here or on the family crest at the left. This data is presented using The Next Generation (TNG)© genealogy web tool. If needed, there is a brief HowTo page accessible from the genealogy data home page to help you start using the tool.

For those visitors who do not want to browse through boring genealogy data, we have compiled reports, tables and diagrams. These artifacts are generated from our master Ancestral Quest (AQ)™ genealogy database tool. Scroll down or click here to access this information.

Briefly, our Irving ancestors appear in New Brunswick, Canada mid-1800’s. Foster ancestors arrived in the early-1600’s and married with other families who were original settlers of New England. Irving and Foster both immigrated from the United Kingdom. Refer to the Allied Families diagram (link later on this page) to see some of our ancestors in North America.

Surnames in the old country

We know virtually nothing about our Irving & Foster ancestors prior to them coming to North America. However, DNA Y-Chromosome tests indicate a high probability that we are descended from a common Irving ancestor from the Scottish Borders, probably Dumfreisshire (now Dumfries), who lived in the thirteenth or fourteenth centuries. The DNA test results are recorded and explained on the clanirwin.org website. Our entry is identified as record: TC3BZ in the results table available for download from there.

The Irving and Foster surnames are both intertwined with the history of the peoples of the British Isles. Some teasers are provided below. Detail information about these surnames can be found on websites accessible on our links page.

Considerable research on the Irving/Irvine and Foster/Forester/Forrester surnames (various spellings) has been performed by other researchers. Their research is available on Internet sites listed on our Links page; interesting reading and a good start for expanding your knowledge of the history of the United Kingdom.

IRVING Origins

Irving tradition believes that Irving/Irvine ancestors were Gaels from Ireland who moved to Scotland. The locals (Picts) called them “Erinvienes”. Erin - meaning from the west; Viene - meaning a brave, resolute, worthy man, or just man. Erin is also the early name of what is now called Ireland; which is west of Alba or Albion, original name for Scotland.

In 373 AD the Erinvienes and other Scots unsuccessfully fought the Romans and fled to Scandinavia. In 404 AD they returned and were able to drive the Romans from Scotland.

Two grandsons of Malcolm II, King of Scotland, Duncan Erivine Prince of Cumberland and MacBeth the Usurper both laid claim to the throne and in 1040 MacBeth killed Duncan; claiming the throne. Duncan’s Murder is told in Shakespeare’s play MacBeth. Before his death Duncan’s clan built a number of Peles (fortified watch and signal towers) in southern Scotland including Bonshaw Tower which became the Irving ancestral home.

William de Irwyn (of Bonshaw) was the Armour-bearer, and later secretary, to Robert the Bruce for which in 1323 was rewarded a grant of land – the forest of Drum. That arm of Irvine clan remained at Drum Castle for 650 years. It is believed that Irving is associated with Bonshaw, while Irvine is associated with Drum. But the two spellings are direct kin.

In the early 17th century the just united crowns of England and Scotland started colonies in North America, Ireland, and other parts of the world. Sir Christopher Irvine received a land grant in 1613 for lands in Ulster Province, Ireland. It appears that some of the clan moved back and forth between Scotland and Ireland changing the spelling of the surname Irvine/Irving as they moved.

FOSTER Origins

Foster tradition has it that our ancient ancestors originated in Flanders. Foster ancestors were in Scotland and England; the Scottish Forresters are, together with their direct kin, the Northumbrian (England) Forsters directly descended from Richard Forester brother-in-law of William, Duke of Normandy – later William The Conqueror – who became King of England, after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. It was then that William I granted extensive lands in both Northumbria and Scotland to his brother-in-law, Sir Richard “Forestarius” Forester and his posterity, for military services rendered and their ties of kinship. Richard and his family then took up their abode in southern Scotland. It was through this man and the Anglicization of his name into “Forester” that the Forster family and the Forrester clan both had their beginnings.

Sir John Forster went to Palistine in 1191 with King Richard I (the Lion Heart) on the third crusade. Sir John saved the life of the King at Acre for which he was knighted and made Govenor of Bamburgh Castle. Bamburgh Castle was the Forster home until 1700.

The Forster and Irving (however you want to spell those names) were both Border families – on opposing sides. It is unlikely that they raided each other for the Forster’s were wardens of the Middle March and the Irving’s were on the West March.

The Forrester’s ancestral home was Torwood Castle near Larbert (south-central Scotland) and is now in ruins.

Bamburgh Castle, the Forster home for about 500 years, is located outside Bamburgh in Northumbria, England on the North Sea coast.

Current Status -

The Allied Families diagram shows our direct ancestors as well as a few interesting side relations. This diagram was developed as a research aid (memory jogger). The individuals at the right-side are, mostly, our brick walls that need further research. - Where did these people come from and/or who were their ancestors?

The following links will open PDF formatted files. You need to have the ability to open Adobe PDF files to view these files. To get a Free copy of Adobe Reader go to: Adobe Reader download

Allied Families Diagram Diagram of our original immigrant ancestors in North America

The following reports include descendants of our original immigrants, shown on the diagram.

William Irving Descendant Report Descendants of our first Irving ancestor in North America

Obadiah Seely Descendant Report Passenger on ship Arbella (Whithrop Fleet); in Salem, MA 1630; a descendant married our original Irving immigrant in North America

John Foster Descendant Report Our original Foster immigrant was in Salem, MA before 1657; a direct ancestor to Laura Foster

Abraham Preble Descendant Report Our original Preble immigrant was in Scituate, MA 1636; a direct ancestor of our maternal grandmother

Elder William Brewster Descendant Report Pilgram leader and passenger on the Mayflower, 1620 Plymouth, MA; our ninth great-grandfather

Reginald Foster Descendant Report Another Foster immigrant sailed with the Whithrop Fleet; in Salem, MA 1638; (no known relation to John Foster, above) a descendant married into the Irving family

John Knight Descendant Report Arrived on ship James in Mass Bay 1635; a descendant married into the Preble family

Samuel Walker Descendant Report in Mass 1650; another ninth great-grandfather

Joel Jenkins Descendant Report in Braintree, Mass before 1640; an eigth great-grandfather

Reports and other artifacts.

Reports from our master Ancestral Quest (AQ) database or other third-party tools.

People alive in the early 1600's Individuals in our database that were alive during first half of the 17th century; thus likely emigrated.

New England marriages prior to 1700 References to the Torrey marriage research project - marriages recorded in New England prior to 1700

People who performed military service Our Heroes - those in our database that we know served in the military

Notable Ancestors and Relations People in our database you may have heard about or are just noteworthy

Removed From Canada Immigrated from Canada to the Unitied States

Removed From England Immigrated from England to the Unitied States

Removed From Ireland Immigrated from Ireland to the Unitied States