Finnelly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The ancestors of the first family to use the name Finnelly lived among the Pictish people of ancient Scotland. The name Finnelly comes from the Gaelic Fionnlagh which is often Anglicized to fair hero.

Early Origins of the Finnelly family

The surname Finnelly was first found in Banffshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Bhanbh), former Scottish county located in the northeasterly Grampian region of Scotland, now of divided between the Council Areas of Moray and Aberdeenshire, where they were descended from the Chiefs of the Clan Farquharson, one of the great federation of 26 Clans, known as the Clan Chattan.

Early History of the Finnelly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Finnelly research. Another 214 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1480, 1547, 1629, 1755, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Finnelly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Finnelly Spelling Variations

In medieval Scotland, names were more often spelled according to sound than any regular set of rules. An enormous number of spelling variations were the result. Over the years, the name Finnelly has been spelled Findlay, Findlow, Findlaw, Finley, Finlay and others.

Early Notables of the Finnelly family

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

Migration of the Finnelly family to Ireland

Some of the Finnelly family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 87 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Finnelly 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:

Finnelly Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Bridget Finnelly, aged 19, a servant, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1876

The Finnelly Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fortis in arduis
Motto Translation: Brave in difficulties.