GIRVAN

Welcome all Girvan, Girvin, Gervin and other variant researchers!  Below is my Girvan family information.  At the bottom of the page, please do not fail to visit the extensive collection of surname information I have gathered from other researchers of our surname.  There is a wealth of information and perhaps you will find your branch of the family.  Also, please post your family information in the Girvan Message Board near the bottom of the page, so that other researchers may perhaps connect with you!

John Girvan was born in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, and moved with his parents to Campbeltown, Argyllshire, Scotland sometime before 1820.  He was married to Jane Hunter in 1841. Jane's father was James Hunter, from "Derrydarroch", (probably Derrydorragh Townland), Londonderry, Ireland. This Hunter name has been passed down many generations, both as James Hunter Girvan and as Jane Hunter Girvan.

 My grandfather, Robert Girvan, youngest son of James Hunter Girvan and Christina C. McCallum, was a piper in the 8th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.. He died when he was age 24. At that time my father was a toddler. My grandmother later moved away from Campbeltown to Paisley, and remarried. As a result, my father never knew many of his Girvan relatives. Below is a picture of my grandfather in his uniform.

Robert Girvan, 1888-1912

If you have either James Hunter Girvan, or Jane Hunter Girvan in your family tree, it is likely that this is your family. The chart below is not complete, but I hope it may be a way to connect with others to exchange information.

I AM DESCENDED FROM : 

John Girvan and Margaret Black.  Margaret's parents were Thomas Black and Margaret Hart.  They all lived in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.  John and Margaret moved from Antrim to Campbeltown, Argyll before 1820. 

John Girvan & Jane Hunter, my gr-great grandparents, Campbeltown

 James Hunter Girvan & Christina C. McCallum, my great-grandparents, Campbeltown

 Robert Girvan (pictured) & Isabella McCulloch, my grandparents, Campbeltown

1 John Girvan b: Abt. 1780 Ireland d: Bet. 1851 - 1854 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT
. +Margaret Black b: Bet. 1781 - 1785 Ireland m: Bet. 1801 - 1805 d: 1 Jan 1864 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT Father: Thomas Black Mother: Margaret Hart

.......... 2 Thomas Girvan b: Abt. 1810 d: 24 Nov 1898 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT
.............. +Margaret McFarlane b: Unknown m: 30 Oct 1836 Glasgow, Lanark d: Unknown
....................... 3 Mary Girvan b: 29 Sep 1837 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT (christened) d: Unknown
....................... 3 John Girvan b: 27 May 1839 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT (christened) d: Unknown
....................... 3 Margaret Girvan ? b: 1 Aug 1841 Gorbals, Lanark, SCT (christened) d: Unknown
....................... 3 Janet Girvan b: 1 Jul 1843 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT (christened) d: Unknown
....................... 3 Rachel Girvan b: 4 May 1851 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT (christened) d: Unknown
....................... 3 Alexander McIsaac Girvan b: 17 Aug 1855 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
....................... 3 James Girvan b: 27 Sep 1857 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown

.......... 2 Agnes Girvan b: Abt. 1813 d: Unknown

.......... 2 John Girvan b: Abt. 1818 Antrim, N. Ireland d: 21 Jan 1885 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT
.............. +Jane Hunter b: Bet. 1816 - 1817 Londonderry, N. Ireland m: 9 Dec 1842 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: 20 Jan 1896 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT Father: James Hunter Mother: Unknown Fraser
....................... 3 Archibald Ritchie Girvan b: Abt. 1843 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
........................... +Mary W. McClymont b: Abt. 1843 Kilmeny, Argyll, SCT m: 3 Jul 1867 Killean/Kilchenzie, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
................................... 4 Duncan McClymont Girvan b: 28 Aug 1867 Killean/Kilchenzie, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
................................... 4 Jane Hunter Girvan b: 31 Jan 1870 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
................................... 4 Agnes Girvan b: 8 Jul 1872 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
................................... 4 John Girvan b: 17 Nov 1874 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
................................... 4 Richard Girvan b: Abt. 1877 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT
................................... 4 Mary Girvan b: Abt. 1880 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT
................................... 4 Margaret Girvan b: Abt. 1885
....................... 3 James Hunter Girvan b: 12 Mar 1844 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: 24 Jan 1906 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT
........................... +Christina C. McCallum b: 29 Jan 1845 Kilcalmonell, Argyll, SCT m: 1 Apr 1870 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: 27 Jun 1907 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT Father: Malcolm McCallum Mother: Mary Colville
................................... 4 John McCallum Girvan b: 9 Oct 1869 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: 13 May 1901 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT
................................... 4 Mary Girvan b: 11 Jan 1872 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
................................... 4 James Hunter Girvan b: 19 Jun 1873 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Dec 1944 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT
....................................... +Catherine MacMillan b: 17 Mar 1880 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT m: 1909 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Apr 1964 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT Father: Dugald MacMillan Mother: Flora MacSporran
................................... 4 Malcolm Girvan b: 10 Oct 1875 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: 24 Apr 1894 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT
................................... 4 Archibald R. Girvan b: 10 Jun 1878 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
....................................... +Susan ? b: Unknown d: Unknown
................................... 4 Jane Hunter Girvan b: 2 Nov 1880 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: 1965 Glasgow, SCT
....................................... +John Stewart McArthur b: Unknown m: 28 Dec 1900 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
................................... 4 Christina Colville Girvan b: 1882 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
................................... 4 Mina Girvan b: Abt. 1885 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT
....................................... +Neil S. McCallum b: Unknown m: 23 Dec 1913 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
................................... 4 Robert Girvan b: 8 Feb 1888 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: 10 Jun 1912 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT
....................................... +Isabella Torrance McCulloch b: 18 Mar 1890 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT m: 23 Jun 1908 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: 4 Dec 1982 Paisley, Renfrew, SCT Father: Robert McCulloch Mother: Isabella Monteith Torrance
....................... 3 John Girvan b: Abt. 1846 Campbeltown, Argyll.SCT d: Unknown
........................... +Catherine McShanoig b: Abt. 1849 Southend, Argyll, SCT m: 29 Nov 1872 Southend, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
................................... 4 Jane Hunter Girvan b: 12 Jun 1873 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
................................... 4 Duncan Girvan b: 14 Jun 1874 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
................................... 4 John Girvan b: Abt. 1875 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
................................... 4 Archibald McShannon Richie Girvan b: Abt. 1877 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
....................................... +Jessie Campbell m: 1905 d: Unknown
................................... 4 James Girvan b: Abt. 1878 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
................................... 4 Flora Campbell Girvan b: Abt. 1880 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
................................... 4 Donald Girvan b: Abt. 1883
................................... 4 Margaret Girvan b: Abt. 1886
................................... 4 Malcolm Girvan b: Abt. 1888
....................... 3 Robert Girvan b: Abt. 1849 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
........................... +Catherine Cameron b: Abt. 1854 SCT m: 31 Dec 1874 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown SCT Father: John Cameron Mother: Rosetta Fullerton
................................... 4 John Girvan b: Abt. 1877 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: 1957
....................................... +Grace
................................... 4 Robert Girvan b: Abt. 1878 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT
................................... 4 Alexander Cameron Girvan b: 14 Aug 1879 Dalaruan Terrace Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: 8 Jul 1940
....................................... +Catherine Cameron m: 1902 d: Unknown Father: Alexander Cameron Mother: Janet MacPhail
................................... 4 Etta Girvan b: Unknown SCT d: Unknown
....................................... +Cuthberson
................................... 4 Charles Girvan b: 13 Mar 1917 SCT d: 1950
................................... 4 Archibald Girvan b: Abt. 1920 SCT
....................... 3 Margaret Girvan b: Abt. 1850 d: Unknown
........................... +Matthew Muir m: 15 Apr 1887 Dalaruan Terrace, Campbeltown d: Unknown
................................... 4 Robert Girvan b: Abt. 1880 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
....................................... +Barbara McGowan m: 9 Sep 1908 The Manse, Kirk St., Campbeltown d: Unknown
....................... 3 Thomas Girvan b: 2 Feb 1854 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown
........................... +Janet

.......... 2 Margaret Ann Girvan b: 9 Jul 1820 Campbeltown, Argyll, SCT d: Unknown

Family Pictures
(Click the small picture to see a larger version)

	Dalaruan Terrace, Campbeltown, Scotland, where many Girvans lived		My Grandfather's brother  - Archibald Girvan in his kilt.  He played the bass drum in the 8th Argylll and Sutherland Highlanders' pipe band
	My Grandfather's sisters and mother Standing, brother-in-law John McArthur; Sitting,  sister Mina (Girvan) McCallum, mother Christina (McCallum) Girvan,  sister Jane (Girvan) McArthur and her baby, Christina McArthur		My Grandfather's brother - James Hunter Girvan, b: 19 Jun 1873.  He was a butcher in Campbeltown and lived in a house called Gowanlea on Argyll Street.
	My Grandfather, Robert Girvan (Standing), his son James Hunter Girvan at left,  my father Robert McCulloch Girvan (baby) and  his mother Isabella McCulloch Girvan at right.		My father as a young man Robert McCulloch Girvan
Please see the Campbeltown Scene page and help me identify the event from which this photo was taken!

Be sure to check out YEARS of correspondence on the Girvan surname at