Devitt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

To escape the religious and political discrimination they experienced primarily at the hands of the English, thousands of Irish left their homeland in the 19th century. These migrants typically settled in communities throughout the East Coast of North America, but also joined the wagon trains moving out to the Midwest. Ironically, when the American War of Independence began, many Irish settlers took the side of England, and at the war's conclusion moved north to Canada. These United Empire Loyalists, were granted land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula. Other Irish immigrants settled in Newfoundland, the Ottawa Valley, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, however, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America and Australia. Many of those numbers, however, did not live through the long sea passage. These Irish settlers to North America were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. Irish settlers made an inestimable contribution to the building of the New World. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name Devitt or a variant listed above, including:

Devitt Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Thomas Devitt, who landed in America in 1811 2
• John Devitt, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1812 2
• Mary Devitt, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1812 2
• Francis Devitt, who landed in Norfolk, Va in 1817 2
• Elizabeth Devitt, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1832 2
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Devitt Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Barnabas Devitt, who landed in Canada in 1831
• Catherine Devitt, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1832
• Nancy Devitt, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1832
• Barney Devitt, aged 24, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Perseus" in 1834
• Mrs. Martha Devitt, aged 30 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Larch" departing from the port of Sligo, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 3
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Devitt Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. Patrick Devitt, (Devit), (b. 1813), aged 31, Irish farm labourer who was convicted in Leitrim, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 9th April 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4
• John Devitt, aged 27, a labourer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Joseph Somes" in 1850 5
• John Devitt, aged 27, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "Joseph Soames" 6
• Anne Devitt (aged 20), a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Hooghly" 7

Devitt Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• William Devitt, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Queen of the Avon" in 1859

• Edward James Devitt (1911-1992), American politician, a U.S. Representative and Judge from Minnesota
• Mary Devitt, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for California, 1956 8
• Joseph Devitt, American politician, Farmer-Labor Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives from Genesee County 1st District, 1936 8
• James R. Devitt, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1948 8
• James E. Devitt, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1952 8
• James C. Devitt, American Republican politician, Member of Wisconsin State Senate 28th District; Elected 1972 8
• James A. Devitt, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Iowa, 1912, 1916 (alternate) 8
• J. Jay Devitt, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Mayor of Yonkers, New York, 1951 8
• J. F. Devitt, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Iowa, 1928 8
• F. Edward Devitt, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 2008 8
• ... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)