Twohy 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 Twohy or a variant listed above, including:

Twohy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Bridget Twohy, aged 17, who landed in America from Cork, in 1892
• Jeremiah Twohy, aged 24, who settled in America, in 1892

Twohy Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

• Katie Twohy, aged 22, who landed in America from Ballaghallern, Ireland, in 1907
• Mary Twohy, aged 32, who immigrated to the United States from Woodford, Ireland, in 1908
• James Twohy, aged 52, who landed in America from Knockaney, Ireland, in 1909
• Catherine Twohy, aged 21, who landed in America from Cahir, Ireland, in 1911
• Ethel Cordealia Twohy, aged 30, who immigrated to the United States from Plymouth, England, in 1913
• ... (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:

Twohy Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• Mr. John Twohy U.E. who settled in Augusta, Ontario c. 1784 he served in the Royal Regiment of New York, he died prior to 1808 1

Twohy Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Henry D. Twohy, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mermaid" in 1860 2
• John Twohy, aged 22, a labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rangitikei" in 1884

• David Neil Twohy (b. 1955), American Bram Stoker Award for Best Screenplay winning film director and screenwriter, known for his work as the writer of The Fugitive and directing The Chronicles of Riddick and Riddick
• Ken Twohy (b. 1970), American film director, screenwriter and film producer
• W. H. Twohy, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Wisconsin State Assembly from Waukesha County 1st District, 1902 3