Finneran History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

During the 19th century thousands of impoverished Irish families made the long journey to British North America and the United States. These people were leaving a land that had become beset with poverty, lack of opportunity, and hunger. In North America, they hoped to find land, work, and political and religious freedoms. Although the majority of the immigrants that survived the long sea passage did make these discoveries, it was not without much perseverance and hard work: by the mid-19th century land suitable for agriculture was short supply, especially in British North America, in the east; the work available was generally low paying and physically taxing construction or factory work; and the English stereotypes concerning the Irish, although less frequent and vehement, were, nevertheless, present in the land of freedom, liberty, and equality for all men. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. Research into passenger and immigration lists has brought forth evidence of the early members of the Finneran family in North America:

Finneran Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Edward Finneran, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
• Anne Finneran, aged 6, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
• Catherine Finneran, aged 10, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
• Michael Finneran, aged 8, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
• Mr. James Finneran, aged 8 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Larch" departing 11th July 1847 from London, Ireland; the ship arrived on 20th August 1847 but he died on board 3

• William "Bill" Finneran (1878-1961), American Major League Baseball umpire in 1911 and 1912
• Kathleen Finneran (b. 1957), American author who wrote the book-length family memoir The Tender Land (2000) for which she received the Whiting Writers' Award in 2001 and a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2003
• Mike Finneran (b. 1948), American springboard diver at the 1972 Summer Olympics
• Sharon Evans Finneran (b. 1946), American gold and silver Olympic medalist competitive swimmer
• Joseph Ignatius "Happy" Finneran (1890-1942), American Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1912 to 1918
• Brian Finneran (b. 1976), American NFL football wide receiver
• Katie Finneran (b. 1971), American Tony award winning film, stage, and television actress
• Thomas M. Finneran (b. 1950), American radio talk host and politician, Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1996 to 2004)
• William Finneran, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1980 4
• Thomas M. Finneran, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Massachusetts, 1996, 2000 4
• ... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)