Fitzharris History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Strongbownian invaders added their Norman conventions for surnames to the previously established Irish system for hereditary surnames. One of the most frequent forms of surnames for both cultures was the patronymic surname, which was formed from the name of the bearer's father or grandfather. The Norman tradition that the followers of Strongbow brought with them created such a surname through diminutive suffixes such as "-ot," "-et," "-un," "-in," or "-el." Occasionally, two suffixes were combined to form a double diminutive, as in the combinations of "-el-in," "-el-ot," "-in-ot," and "-et-in." The Normans also formed patronymic surnames in a manner very similar to the Irish: they added a prefix to their father's name. These Anglo-Norman people, however, used the prefix "Fitz-," which was derived from the French word "fils," and ultimately from the Latin "filius," which both mean "son." Although this prefix probably originated in Flanders or Normandy, it can now only be found in Ireland. The surname Fitzharris is derived from the personal name Henry, which was brought by the Normans into England and then Ireland. This name is composed of the elements "haim" or "heim," which mean "home," and "ric," which means "power." Harris was a patronymic form of Henry. The name features the distinctive Irish patronymic prefix fitz, which means son of in Anglo-French. This is derived from the Old French word "fils," which ultimately comes from the Latin word "filius." The Gaelic form of the surname Fitzharris is Mac Éinri.
Early Origins of the Fitzharris family
The surname FitzHarris was first found in County Wexford (Irish: Loch Garman), founded by Vikings as Waesfjord, and located in Southeastern Ireland, in the province of Leinster, where they were granted lands by Strongbow on his invasion of Ireland in 1172.
FitzHarris Castle is a medieval castle located near Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England and dates back to 1071-1084, shortly after the Norman Conquest. It is thought that the Norman knight Owen built the castle which formed a motte, 78 ft by 68 ft across, protected by a stream that flowed around the motte producing a moat. A keep remained on this site until about 1247. Today, remains of the castle is owned by the local authorities but access is restricted to protect erosion from visitors.
Early History of the Fitzharris family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fitzharris research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1206, 1640, 1645, 1648, 1681, 1690 and 1704 are included under the topic Early Fitzharris History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Fitzharris Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Fitzhenry, Fitzharris and others.
Early Notables of the Fitzharris family
Notable amongst the family up to this time was
- Edward Fitzharris (1648?-1681), Irish-born, Anglo conspirator who was prosecuted during the Popish Plot hoax. In 1681, he claimed he could reveal the secret of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey's murder and even...
- Others include: Sir Edward FitzHarris, 1st Baronet (died 1640) of Kilfinin in the County of Limerick; Sir Edward Fitzharris, 2nd Baronet (died c. 1690); and Sir William Fitzharris, 3rd Baronet (c.1645...
FitzHarris migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Fitzharris Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Nicholas FitzHarris, who settled in Philadelphia in 1855 along with Peter
Fitzharris migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Fitzharris Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Miss Margaret Fitzharris, (Gregory), (b. 1826), aged 25, Irish country servant who was convicted in Wicklow, Ireland for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Blackfriar" on 24th January 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 1
Contemporary Notables of the name FitzHarris (post 1700) +
- Sean Fitzharris (b. 1991), Scottish footballer
Citations +