Show ContentsCassaday History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Irish names tend to vary widely in their spelling and overall form. The original Gaelic form of the name Cassaday is Ó Casaide. 1

Early Origins of the Cassaday family

The surname Cassaday was first found in Fermanagh (Irish: Fear Manach) in the southwestern part of Northern Ireland, Province of Ulster, where the Irish sept claims direct descent from the Irish King Colla da Crioch who was banished from Ireland in 327. 2

Early History of the Cassaday family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cassaday research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1143 and 1740 are included under the topic Early Cassaday History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cassaday Spelling Variations

A name was often recorded during the Middle Ages under several different spelling variations during the life of its bearer because literacy was rare there was no real push to clearly define any of the languages found in the British Isles at that time. Variations found of the name Cassaday include Cassidy, Cassady, Cassiday, Cassedy, Cassedey and others.

Early Notables of the Cassaday family

More information is included under the topic Early Cassaday Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Cassaday migration to the United States +

Death and immigration greatly reduced Ireland's population in the 19th century. For the native Irish people poverty, hunger, and racial prejudice was common. Therefore, thousands left their homeland to seek opportunity in North America. Those who survived the journey and the quarantine camps to which they arrived, were instrumental towards building the strong developing nations of the United States and the future Canada. By far, the largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. These were employed as construction or factory workers. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has shown early immigrants bearing the name Cassaday:

Cassaday Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mary Cassaday, who arrived in Maryland in 1674 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Cassaday (post 1700) +

  • John Cassaday (b. 1971), American comic book artist and writer
  • Dr. Helen Cassaday, British Associate Professor and Reader in Behavioural Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Nottingham


The Cassaday Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Frangas non flectes
Motto Translation: Thou may'st break, but shalt not bend me.


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
  2. O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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