Hefferen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Irish immigrants began to leave the English-controlled Ireland in sizable numbers during the late 18th century. Many of these Irish immigrated to British North America or the United States in the hopes of gaining their own tract of farmland. This pattern of migration grew steadily until the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine caused a great exodus of immigrants to North America. These immigrants differed from their predecessors in that they were desperately fleeing the disease and starvation that plagued their homeland, and many were entirely destitute when they arrived in North America. Although these penniless immigrants were not warmly welcomed when they arrived, they were critical to the rapid development of the United States and what would become known as Canada. Many went to populate the western frontiers and others provided the cheap labor the new manufacturing sector and the building of bridges, roads, railways, and canals required. A thorough examination of immigration and passenger lists has revealed some of the earliest people to arrive in North America with name Hefferen or one of its variants:

Hefferen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Patrick Hefferen, who settled in Alexandria Virginia in 1817
• Patrick Hefferen, who arrived in Washington, DC in 1817 1

Hefferen Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Patrick Hefferen, aged 37, a smelter, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Glentanner" 2