The Clan/Sept History

Today's Irish surnames are underpinned by a multitude of rich histories. The
name O Garvey originally appeared in Gaelic as O Gairbhin, derived from the word
"garbh," which means "rough."

Spelling variations of this family name include: Garvin, Garvey, Garwin,
Garvine, Garven, Garvan, Garvy, Garvie, Garwen and many more.
First found in county Tyrone, where they held a family seat from very ancient
times.
Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were:
James Garvey who settled in Virginia in 1680; Daniel Garvin, an 'enforced' Irish
emigrant, sent to America in 1742; Patrick Garve, who settled in Pennsylvania in
1773.