Agnew History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the Agnew family relocated to North American shores quite early:

Agnew Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Andrew Agnew, who landed in Maryland in 1674 3
• Aud Agnew, who landed in Maryland in 1674 3
• Ninian Agnew, who landed in Maine in 1676 3

Agnew Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Andrew Agnew, who landed in Virginia in 1709 3
• Andrew Agnew, who settled in New England in 1718
• John Agnew, who arrived in Virginia in 1753 3
• John Agnew, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1772 3
• Andrew Agnew, who arrived in South Carolina in 1772 3
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Agnew Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• James Agnew, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1807 3
• Deckey Agnew, who arrived in New York, NY in 1815 3
• Thomas Agnew, who arrived in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1820 3
• John Agnew, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 3
• William Agnew, who arrived in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1851 3
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Agnew Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

• James Agnew, who arrived in Arkansas in 1902 3

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Agnew Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• Reverend John Agnew U.E. born in Parish Suffolk, Vermont, USA, United Empire Loyalist who settled near Fredericton, New Brunswick c. 1783 part of the Queen's Rangers Regiment 4
• Captain Stair Agnew U.E. born in Virginia, USA, United Empire Loyalist who settled in Fredericton, New Brunswick c. 1783; member of the Queen's Rangers Regiment 4

Agnew Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• J. B. Agnew, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Mary" in 1838
• Ms. Margaret Agnew, aged 30 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Caithness-shire" departing from the port of Belfast, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in June 1847 5
• Mr. Alexander Agnew, aged 4 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Goliah" departing 21st May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 18th July 1847 but he died on board 6

Agnew Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• John Agnew, Scottish convict from Glasgow, who was transported aboard the "America" on April 4, 1829, settling in New South Wales, Australia 7
• Elizabeth Agnew, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Stebonheath" in 1849 8
• Miss Agnes Agnew, (b. 1825), aged 26, Scottish house maid who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the "Aurora" on 22nd April 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
• Mr. William John Agnew, (b. 1837), aged 29, Scottish tailor who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 10 years for theft, transported aboard the "Belgravia" on 4th April 1866, arriving in Western Australia, he died in 1911 10

Agnew Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Mr. Thomas Agnew, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Strathfieldsaye" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 29th April 1858 11
• Mr. William Agnew, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 30th July 1861 11
• Mrs. Janet Agnew, (b. 1828), aged 36, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "British Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1864 12
• Mr. James Agnew, (b. 1830), aged 34, British ploughman travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "British Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1864 12
• Miss Elizabeth Agnew, (b. 1862), aged 2, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "British Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1864 12
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

• Harold Melvin Agnew (1921-2013), American physicist and politician, member of New Mexico Senate (1955-1961), and director of Los Alamos National Laboratory 1970-1979
• Charlie Agnew (1901-1978), American Jazz musician and band-leader
• Robert Agnew (1899-1983), American film actor
• David Hayes Agnew (1818-1892), American surgeon in attendance as operating surgeon when President Garfield was fatally wounded by the bullet of an assassin in 1881
• John W. Agnew, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Army Air Forces, during World War II, credited with 5 aerial victories
• Sir Andrew Agnew (1793-1849), Irish born peer, 7th Baronet of Lochnaw, and promoter of Sabbatarian legislation 13
• Chloë Agnew (b. 1989), Irish singer, youngest member of the Celtic music group Celtic Woman
• Sir James Wilson Agnew (1815-1901), Irish born, Premier of Tasmania
• Patrick Alexander vans Agnew (1822-1848), Indian civil servant whose murder at Multán by the retainers of Mulráj led to the second Sikh war and to the annexation of the Punjáb as a British province 13
• Mr. Peter Stewart Agnew M.B.E., British Senior Executive Officer for Ministry of Defence, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018, for public service 14
• ... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)