Show ContentsFalkner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The spelling and overall form of Irish names often vary considerably. The original Gaelic form of the name Falkner is Ó Fallamhain. [1]

Early Origins of the Falkner family

The surname Falkner was first found in Galway (Irish: Gaillimh) part of the province of Connacht, located on the west coast of the Island, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Early History of the Falkner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Falkner research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1443, 1458, 1464 and 1466 are included under the topic Early Falkner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Falkner Spelling Variations

The recording of names in Ireland in the Middle Ages was an inconsistent endeavor at best. The many regional dialects and the predominate illiteracy would have made common surnames appear unrelated to the scribes of the period. Research into the name Falkner revealed spelling variations, including Fallon, O'Fallon, Fallone, Falloone, Folan, Follan, Vollan and many more.

Early Notables of the Falkner family

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

Falkner Ranking

In the United States, the name Falkner is the 8,204th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [2]


United States Falkner migration to the United States +

Many destitute Irish families in the 18th and 19th centuries decided to leave their homeland, which had in many ways been scarred by English colonial rule. One of the most frequent destinations for these families was North America where it was possible for an Irish family to own their own parcel of land. Many of the early settlers did find land awaiting them in British North America, or even later in America, but for the majority of immigrants that arrived as a result of the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s the ownership of land was often a long way off. These Irish people were initially put to work on such industrial projects as the building of bridges, canals, and railroads, or they worked at manufacturing positions within factories. Whenever they arrived, the Irish made enormous contributions to the infant nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the earliest immigrants to bearer the name of Falkner were found through extensive research of immigration and passenger lists:

Falkner Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Fran Falkner, who landed in Virginia in 1657 [3]
  • Edward Falkner, who arrived in Maryland in 1673 [3]
  • Hannah Falkner, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1683 [3]
Falkner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Daniel Falkner, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1704 [3]
  • Nathaniel Falkner, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 [3]
  • Ralph Falkner Sr., Ralph Falkner Jr., and their wives settled in Philadelphia in 1774
  • Johannes and Wilhelm Falkner, were recorded in Pennsylvania in 1777
Falkner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Arnold Falkner, who settled in Kentucky in 1844
  • Joh Falkner, who arrived in New York in 1848
  • J. Falkner, who landed in Panama in 1851
  • George Falkner, who arrived in New York in 1853
  • James Falkner, who arrived in Savanna(h), Georgia in 1855 [3]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Falkner migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Falkner Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Thomas Falkner, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749
  • William Falkner, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749
  • Jane Falkner, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Lambert Falkner, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • John Falkner, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Falkner Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • Mrs. Falkner, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
  • Charles Falkner, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907

Australia Falkner migration to Australia +

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

Falkner Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Falkner, (Fawkner, Faulkner), (b. 1771), aged 32, Cornish metal refiner who was convicted in London, England for 14 years for receiving stolen goods, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1854 [4]
  • John Falkner, English convict from Surrey, who was transported aboard the "Adamant" on March 16, 1821, settling in New South Wales, Australia [5]
  • Mr. George Falkner, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Florentia" on 11th August 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [6]
  • Mr. Robert Falkner, English convict who was convicted in Leicester, Leicestershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Camden" on 21st September 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [7]
  • James Falkner, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Canton" in 1846 [8]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Falkner 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:

Falkner Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Matthew Falkner, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Portland" in 1864
  • Catherine Falkner, aged 30, a servant, who arrived in Malborough aboard the ship "Gainsborough" in 1878 [9]

Contemporary Notables of the name Falkner (post 1700) +

  • Jason Falkner (b. 1968), American pop and rock musician
  • Elizabeth Falkner, American Pastry Chef
  • Allen Falkner (b. 1969), American artist
  • Ernst Falkner (b. 1909), German politician, member of the Lower House of the German parliament
  • Brigitta Falkner (b. 1959), Austrian author
  • Thomas Falkner (1707-1784), English missionary
  • Kishwer Falkner (b. 1955), Baroness Falkner of Margravine, British politician
  • J Meade Falkner (1858-1932), English novelist and poet, best known for his 1898 novel, Moonfleet
  • Harold Falkner, early 20th-century British architect


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. 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)
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
  5. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Adamant voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1821 with 144 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adamant/1821
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/florentia
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 2nd December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/camden
  8. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CANTON 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846Canton.htm
  9. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 3rd November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook