Show ContentsFairager History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The original Gaelic form of Fairager was Ó Fearchair, derived from the word "fearchar," which means "man deer." 1

Early Origins of the Fairager family

The surname Fairager was first found in County Mayo (Irish: Maigh Eo) located on the West coast of the Republic of Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Fairager family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fairager research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fairager History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fairager Spelling Variations

Within the archives researched, many different spelling variations of the surname Fairager were found. These included One reason for the many variations is that scribes and church officials often spelled an individual's name as it sounded. This imprecise method often led to many versions. Faragher, Faraugher, Fraher, Farraher and others.

Early Notables of the Fairager family

More information is included under the topic Early Fairager Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fairager family

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 Fairager family relocated to North American shores quite early: Patrick Faragher who settled in Philadelphia in 1880; John Farrahoe settled in Virginia in 1625.



  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)


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