Foran History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

To escape the religious and political discrimination they experienced primarily at the hands of the English, thousands of Irish left their homeland in the 19th century. These migrants typically settled in communities throughout the East Coast of North America, but also joined the wagon trains moving out to the Midwest. Ironically, when the American War of Independence began, many Irish settlers took the side of England, and at the war's conclusion moved north to Canada. These United Empire Loyalists, were granted land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula. Other Irish immigrants settled in Newfoundland, the Ottawa Valley, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, however, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America and Australia. Many of those numbers, however, did not live through the long sea passage. These Irish settlers to North America were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. Irish settlers made an inestimable contribution to the building of the New World. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name Foran or a variant listed above, including:

Foran Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Danl Foran, who landed in Virginia in 1702 2

Foran Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• John Foran, who settled in New York State in 1804
• Michael Foran, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1834
• Edward Foran, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1838 2
• John Foran, who arrived in Boston in 1847
• James Foran, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1848 2
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Foran Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

• André Foran married in Laprairie, Quebec in 1684

Foran Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Edward Foran, who settled in Bell Island, Newfoundland in 1812 3
• John Foran, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1835
• Miss. Catherine Foran, aged 2 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Araminta" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in July 1847 4
• Mr. James Foran, aged 51 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Rose" departing 19th April 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 1st July 1847 but he died on board 5
• Mr. John Foran, aged 4 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Rose" departing 19th April 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 1st July 1847 but he died on board 5

Foran Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. John Foran who was convicted in Ayr, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Dick" on 2nd October 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
• Mr. James Foran, (b. 1815), aged 23, Irish soldier born in Waterford who was convicted in Secunderabad, India for 7 years for highway robbery, transported aboard the "Caledonia" on 20th August 1838, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7
• Mr. James Foran, (Forau), (b. 1818), aged 21, Irish harness maker who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 10 years for receiving stolen goods, transported aboard the "Blenheim" on 19th May 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1862 8

Foran Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Rev. Foran, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Easby" arriving in Port Chalmers, Otago, New Zealand on 31st October 1874 9

• Sergeant Nicholas "Sam" Foran (1844-1927), Irish-born, American soldier awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry in several engagements against the Apache Indians in the Arizona Territory from August to October 1868
• James H. "Jim" Foran (1848-1928), American Major League Baseball player who played from the Fort Wayne Kekiongas in 1871
• John Nicholas "Dick" Foran (1910-1979), American actor, known for his roles in The Petrified Forest (1936), Fort Apache (1948) and The Mummy's Hand (1940), awarded a Star on the Walk of Fame
• Seán Foran (1931-2015), Irish Gaelic footballer
• Richard "Richie" Foran (b. 1980), Irish footballer
• Patrick Foran, Canadian recipient of the Order of Ontario for 2023
• John Winston Foran (1952-2023), Canadian police officer and politician, Member of the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly for Miramichi Centre (2003-2010), Minister of Public Safety (2006-2010)
• Liam Foran (b. 1988), New Zealand professional rugby league footballer, brother of Kieran Foran
• Mark Foran (b. 1973), English former professional footballer
• William Michael Foran (1871-1945), Canadian ice hockey executive, Stanley Cup trustee
• ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)