Guffey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Originally, Guffey was a nickname for a dark-featured, peaceful person. The Gaelic name of the Clan is Mac Dubhshithe, which translates as black one of peace. One branch of the Clan on the island of North Uist was known as Dubh-sidh, meaning 'black fairy,' due to their whimsical association with the faerie folk. 1 2
Early Origins of the Guffey family
The surname Guffey was first found in on the Isle of Colonsay, where the eponymous ancestor of the Clan may be Dubhshith, also called Dubside, who was lector at the Cathedral on the sacred isle of Iona in 1164. As the name MacFee is one of the oldest of all Dalriadan surnames it appears in records as early as the reign of Alexander II, when Johannes Macdufthi was witness to a charter in Dumfriesshire. In 1296, Thomas Macdoffy swore an oath of allegiance to King Edward I of England. 2
Early History of the Guffey family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Guffey research. Another 398 words (28 lines of text) covering the years 1506, 1512, 1531, 1532, 1541, 1569, 1585, 1595, 1605, 1609, 1626, 1681, 1703, 1723, 1747, 1838, 1845, 1850, 1890 and 1981 are included under the topic Early Guffey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Guffey Spelling Variations
Spelling variations were extremely common in medieval names, since scribes from that era recorded names according to sound rather than a standard set of rules. Guffey has appeared in various documents spelled MacFie, McFey, MacFee, MacDuffie, MacPhee, MacGuffie, MacCuffie, MacPhie, Maffie, Maffey, MacDubh-shithe (Gaelic) and many more.
Early Notables of the Guffey family
More information is included under the topic Early Guffey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Guffey Ranking
In the United States, the name Guffey is the 3,797th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 3
Migration of the Guffey family to Ireland
Some of the Guffey family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 89 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Guffey family
Descendents of Dalriadan-Scottish families still populate many communities across North America. They are particularly common in Canada, since many went north as United Empire Loyalists at the time of the American War of Independence. Much later, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the highland games and Clan societies that now dot North America sprang up, allowing many Scots to recover their lost national heritage. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Guffey, or a variant listed above: James MacFee who settled in New Hampshire in 1718; John MacFee settled in Boston in 1766; George, John and William MacFee settled in Philadelphia between 1820 and 1840.
Contemporary Notables of the name Guffey (post 1700) +
- James Michael Guffey (1982-2021), American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Jimmy Rave
- J. Roger Guffey (1929-2009), American President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City from 1976 to 1991
- Michael Guffey, American professional skateboarder
- Cary Guffey (b. 1972), American child actor who at the age of three made his cinematic debut in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
- Joseph Frank "Joe" Guffey (1870-1959), American business executive and Democratic Party politician, United States Senator from Pennsylvania (1935-1947), co-eponym of the Guffey-Snyder Act, also known as the Guffey Coal Act
- Burnett Guffey (1905-1983), American two-time Academy Award winning cinematographer for the films From Here to Eternity (1953) and Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
- William F. Guffey, American politician, Mayor of Webster Groves, Missouri, 1955-57 4
- Wesley S. Guffey, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Pennsylvania, 1900, 1908 4
- Pauletta Guffey, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1928 4
- Joseph F. Guffey (1875-1959), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Democratic National Committee from Pennsylvania, 1920-36; U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, 1935-47; Defeated, 1946 4
- ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
The Guffey 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: Pro Rege
Motto Translation: For the King.
Citations +
- Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html