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Brophy History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Brophy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

Early Origins of the Brophy family

The surname Brophy was first found in mid-Leinster and Kilkenny (Irish: Cill Chainnigh), the former Kingdom of Osraige (Ossory), located in Southeastern Ireland in the province of Leinster, where bearers of the surname were anciently known by the Gaelic "O Brithe," or 'descendant of Broth'.

Early History of the Brophy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brophy research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1659 is included under the topic Early Brophy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brophy Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: O'Brophy, Broy, Brophie and others.

Early Notables of the Brophy family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

Brophy of Leix

Brophy Ranking

In the United States, the name Brophy is the 6,983^rd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [1] However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Brophy is ranked the 651^st most popular surname with an estimated 68 people with that name. [2]

Brophy migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Brophy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Michael Brophy, who arrived in New York city in 1816
Jeremiah Brophy, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1816 [3]
Michael Brophy, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 [3]
William Brophy, who settled in Salem, Massachusetts in 1819
John Brophy, who arrived in New York city in 1824
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Brophy migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Brophy Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mary Brophy, who is on record in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1816 [4]
Margaret Brophy, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1831
Mary Brophy, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1831
John Brophy, aged 22, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
Margaret Brophy, aged 22, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Brophy migration to Australia +

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

Brophy Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Brophy who was convicted in Liverpool, Merseyside, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Circassian" on 4th November 1832, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [5]
Hannah Brophy, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "Amphitrite" on August 21, 1833, settling in New South Wales, Australia [6]
Mr. Joseph Brophy, (b. 1823), aged 15, Irish errand boy who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for pick pocketing, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 29th December 1838, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [7]
Mr. William Brophy, (b. 1809), aged 30, Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for felony, transported aboard the "Blenheim" on 19th May 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1839 shortly after arriving [8]
Margaret Brophy, aged 21, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Nugget" [9]
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Brophy 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:

Brophy Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

E. Brophy, aged 20, a housemaid, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1874
Margaret Brophy, aged 18, a housemaid, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Woodlark" in 1874
Edward Brophy, aged 31, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Avalanche" in 1875
Ellen Brophy, aged 27, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Avalanche" in 1875
Catherine Brophy, aged 9, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Avalanche" in 1875
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Brophy (post 1700) +

Edward Brophy (1895-1960), American Hollywood actor
Joseph A. Brophy, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Jersey, 1932; Mayor of Elizabeth, New Jersey, 1935-39; Secretary of State of New Jersey [10]
John M. Brophy, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Wisconsin, 1948 [10]
John J. Brophy, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Waterbury, 1902 [10]
John Charles Brophy (1901-1976), American Republican politician, U.S. Representative from Wisconsin 4th District, 1947-49; Defeated, 1948, 1950 [10]
John Brophy, American Republican politician, First Selectman of Ridgefield, Connecticut, 1896-99; Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Ridgefield; Elected 1902 [10]
James M. Brophy, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Georgia, 1956 (alternate), 1960 [10]
James F. Brophy, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Georgia, 1964 [10]
J. M. Brophy, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Wisconsin, 1924 [10]
Ira N. Brophy, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1984 [10]
... (Another 15 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Brophy family +

Halifax Explosion

Mrs. Hildegard G. Brophy (1898-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) [11]

USS Arizona

Mr. Myron Alonzo Brophy, American Fireman Second Class from Vermont, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking [12]

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
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)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 8th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/circassian
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Amphitrite voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1833 with 99 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/amphitrite/1833
Convict Records Australia. Retrieved on 18th March 2022 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blenheim
South Australian Register Tuesday 4th July 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Nugget 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/nugget1854.shtml
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html