Fitz History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Ireland

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Most of the old Irish surnames that can be found throughout the world today have their roots in the Gaelic language. The original Gaelic form of the name Fitz is Mac Giolla Phadraig, denoting a devotee of St. Patrick. This is the only native-Irish surname with the prefix "Fitz", as all others descend from the Normans.1

Early Origins of the Fitz family

The surname Fitz was first found in Ossory (Irish: Osraige), the former Kingdom of Ossory, now county Kilkenny, located in Southeastern Ireland in the province of Leinster, where they were the traditional Princes of Ossary, claiming descent from the O'Connors 2 and Giolla Padraig, a warlike chief in Ossary who lived in the second half of the 10th century. 1

Early History of the Fitz family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fitz research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1535, 1558, 1581, 1585, 1612, 1652, 1727 and 1774 are included under the topic Early Fitz History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fitz Spelling Variations

The archives that survive today demonstrate the difficulty experienced by the scribes of this period in their attempts to record these names in writing. Spelling variations of the name Fitz dating from that time include Fitzpatrick, Fitzpatricks, Kilpatrick, Shera, Sherar, Sherra, Patchy, Patchie, Parogan, Parrican, Fitz, MacGilpatrick, McGilpatrick, MacIlpatrick, McIlpatrick, MacSherra, McSherra, McShera, MacShera, Sheera, McSheera and many more.

Early Notables of the Fitz family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

Sir Barnaby Fitzpatrick, (1535?-1581), one of the first to submit to Henry VII and was knighted for his allegiance in 1558. He was the son and heir of Brian Fitzpatrick or MacGillapatrick, first lord...
Brian Fitzpatrick (1585-1652), was Vicar Apostolic of Ossory and Richard Fitzpatrick Lord Gowran (d. 1727), was the second son of John Fitzpatrick of Castletown, Queen's County

Fitz Ranking

In the United States, the name Fitz is the 6,818^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 3

Fitz migration to the United States +

The 18th century saw the slow yet steady emigration of Irish families to British North America and the United States. Those early Irish settlers that left their homeland were typically moderately well off: they were enticed by the promise of a sizable plot of land. However, by the 1840s, this pattern of immigration was gone: immigrants to North America were seeking refuge from the starvation and disease that the Great Potato Famine of that decade brought. The great numbers of Irish that arrived to the United States and the soon to be Canada were instrumental in their quick development as powerful industrial nations. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists uncovered many early immigrants bearing the name Fitz:

Fitz Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Fitz, who landed in Salisbury, Massachusetts in 1640 4
Richard Fitz, who arrived in Newbury, Massachusetts in 1672 4
Benjamin Fitz, who landed in Reading, Massachusetts in 1689 4

Fitz Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Peter Fitz, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 4

Fitz Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Johan Fitz, who arrived in Arkansas in 1897 4

Fitz migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Fitz Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Titus Fitz U.E. who settled in Kingston, Ontario c. 1784 he was a Blacksmith 5

Fitz migration to Australia +

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

Fitz Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mary Fitz, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Ramillies" in 1849 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Fitz (post 1700) +

Rudolph H. Fitz, American politician, Member of Minnesota State House of Representatives 1st District, 1864 7
Margaret Fitz, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Hampshire, 1980 7
Richard Fitz Pons (1080-1129), Anglo-Norman nobleman
Theodore Fitz Randolph (1826-1883), American Democratic Party politician, Governor of New Jersey, 1869-72; U.S. Senator from New Jersey, 1875-81; Member of Democratic National Committee from New Jersey, 1876 8
Joseph Fitz Randolph (1803-1873), American politician, Representative from New Jersey at-large, 1837-43 8
James Fitz Randolph (1791-1872), American politician, Representative from New Jersey at-large, 1827-33 8
Frederick Fitz Gerald, American politician, U.S. Consul in Cognac, 1897 9
Samuel Fitz Randolph, American politician, Member of New Jersey State Council from Middlesex County, 1784-85, 1796 10
Julia Fitz Randolph, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Colorado, 1980 10
Fitz John Porter (1822-1901), United States Army officer and a Union General during the American Civil War

The Fitz 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: Ceart laidir a boo
Motto Translation: Might is Right