Fay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

A great mass of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century, seeking relief from various forms of social, religious, and economic discrimination. This Irish exodus was primarily to North America. If the migrants survived the long ocean journey, many unfortunately would find more discrimination in the colonies of British North America and the fledgling United States of America. These newly arrived Irish were, however, wanted as a cheap source of labor for the many large agricultural and industrial projects that were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the western world. Early immigration and passenger lists indicate many people bearing the Fay name:

Fay Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Henry Fay, who arrived in Newbury, Massachusetts in 1655 4
• Tho Fay, who arrived in Virginia in 1655 4

Fay Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Johann Conrad Fay, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752 4
• Simon Fay, who settled in Maryland in 1767

Fay Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Luke Fay, who arrived in New York, NY in 1815 4
• Andrew Fay, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 4
• Patrick Fay, who arrived in New York in 1819 4
• William Fay, who arrived in New York in 1819 4
• Lawrence Fay, who landed in New York in 1819 4
• ... (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:

Fay Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• Mr. Henry E. Fay U.E. who settled in Carleton [Saint John City], New Brunswick c. 1784 5

Fay Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Mr. Dennis Fay, aged 16 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "John Bolton" departing 13th April 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 10th June 1847 but he died on board 6
• Mr. Hugh Fay, aged 40 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Blenheim" departing 16th June 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 29th July 1847 but he died on board 6
• Mr. James Fay who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Princess Royal" departing 5th May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 16th June 1847 but he died on board 6
• Mr. John Fay who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Princess Royal" departing 5th May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 16th June 1847 but he died on board 6
• Mr. Luke Fay who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "George" departing 13th April 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 12th June 1847 but he died on board 6
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Fay Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr.John Fay, (b. 1788), aged 31, Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for bad notes, transported aboard the "Bencoolen" on 24th April 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia before being transferred to Tasmania via the "Admiral Cockburn" 7
• Mr. Charles Fay, British Convict who was convicted in Southampton, Hampshire, England for life for machine breaking, transported aboard the "Eleanor" on 26th June 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
• John Fay, English convict from Southampton, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on November 13, 1832, settling in New South Wales, Australia 9
• Miss Mary Fay, (b. 1816), aged 21, Irish laundress who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Diamond" on 29th November 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
• Bridget Fay, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Inconstant" in 1849 11
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Fay Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Mr. Anthony Fay, (b. 1837), aged 25, Irish farm labourer, from County Cavan travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 12
• Mr. Teddy Fay, (b. 1844), aged 22, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "John Temperley" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st June 1866 13

• Dorothy Fay (1915-2003), born Dorothy Alice Fay Southworth, an American actress mainly known for her appearances in Western movies
• Meagen Fay (b. 1957), American actress, known for her work on Ohara (1987-1988), Life With Louie (1995-1998) and Malcolm in the Middle (2002-2004)
• Paul B. Fay (1918-2009), United States Secretary of the Navy, a close confidant of President John F. Kennedy
• Peter Thorp Fay (1929-2021), American jurist, Senior United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
• Judge Edgar Stewart Fay, American Circuit Judge
• Rick Fay (1926-1999), American clarinetist
• Peter W. Fay (1924-2004), American historian
• Ming Fay, American sculptor
• Larry Fay (1888-1933), American businessperson
• Jonathan Fay, American computer scientist
• ... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

• Edwin Fay of Vermont and Alabama, 1794-1876: His Origins from 1656 and His Descendants to 1987 by Mary Smith Fay.
• The History of the Bemis, Perkinson, Fay, and Lawrence Families: These Being the Four Ancestral Lines of the Compiler by Ted Harrison Bemis.