Contents [hide]

Paisley History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Paisley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The ancestors of the Paisley family lived among the Strathclyde-Briton people of the Scottish/English Borderlands. Paisley is a name for someone who lived in the town of Paisley in Renfrew (now part of the Strathclyde region).

Early Origins of the Paisley family

The surname Paisley was first found in Renfrewshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rinn Friù), a historic county of Scotland, today encompassing the Council Areas of Renfrew, East Renfrewshire, and Iverclyde, in the Strathclyde region of southwestern Scotland, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Scotland to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Paisley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Paisley research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1179, 1199, 1202, 1320 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Paisley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Paisley Spelling Variations

Spelling and translation were hardly exact sciences in Medieval Scotland. Sound, rather than any set of rules, was the basis for spellings, so one name was often spelled different ways even within a single document. Spelling variations are thus an extremely common occurrence in Medieval Scottish names. Paisley has been spelled Paisley, Pasley and others.

Early Notables of the Paisley family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

William Paisley of Passelaw

Paisley Ranking

In the United States, the name Paisley is the 12,988^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Paisley family to Ireland

Some of the Paisley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Paisley migration to the United States +

Such hard times forced many to leave their homeland in search of opportunity across the Atlantic. Many of these families settled along the east coast of North America in communities that would become the backbones of the young nations of the United States and Canada. The ancestors of many of these families have rediscovered their roots in the 20th century through the establishment of Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. Among them:

Paisley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

James Paisley, who arrived in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1774 with his wife and brother John
John Paisley, aged 23, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1774 2

Paisley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Christopher Paisley, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 2
Samuel Paisley, who landed in South Carolina in 1830 2
Joseph and Robert Paisley, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1844
Francis Paisley, who landed in New York in 1846 2
Jane Paisley, who landed in New York in 1846 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Paisley migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Paisley Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. Joseph Paisley, aged 26 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "John Francis" departing 10th April 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 10th June 1847 but he died on board 3

Paisley migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Paisley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

James Paisley, aged 22, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Constance" 4
James Paisley, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constance" in 1849 4
Mr. Samuel Paisley, Scottish convict who was convicted in Ayr, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 27th August 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 5

Paisley migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Paisley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Isabella Paisley, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Strathfieldsaye" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 29th April 1858 6
Mr. Robert Paisley, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Strathfieldsaye" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 29th April 1858 6
Mrs. Paisley, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Strathfieldsaye" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 29th April 1858 6
Mr. Paisley, Jr., Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Strathfieldsaye" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 29th April 1858 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Paisley (post 1700) +

Brad Douglas Paisley (b. 1972), American multi award winning country singer, the 2008 CMA and ACM Male Vocalist of the Year
Melvyn R. Paisley, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Army Air Forces, during World War II, credited with 5 aerial victories
Janet Paisley (1948-2018), Scottish writer, poet and playwright
David Paisley (b. 1979), Scottish actor, known for his roles in Tinsel Town (2000), Sweat (2008) and Unhappy Birthday (2011)
Mr. Alistair Paisley B.E.M., British recipient of the British Empire Medal on 8th June 2018, for political and public service
Grégory Paisley (b. 1977), former French professional football defender
Chris Paisley (b. 1986), English professional golfer
Eileen Emily Paisley (b. 1934), Baroness Paisley of St George's, née Cassells, a Northern Irish Unionist politician, vice-president of the Democratic Unionist Party, wife of Ian Paisley
Stephen Paisley (b. 1983), Irish professional football central defender
Robert "Bob" Paisley OBE (1919-1996), English footballer player and manager, awarded the OBE in 1983
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 92)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONSTANCE 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Constance.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html