Casaday Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Middle Ages saw a great number of spelling variations for surnames common to the Irish landscape. One reason for these variations is the fact that surnames were not rigidly fixed by this period. The following variations for the name Casaday were encountered in the archives: Cassidy, Cassady, Cassiday, Cassedy, Cassedey and others.

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Casaday research. Another 191 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1143, 1143 and 1740 are included under the topic Early Casaday History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Casaday Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

In the 19th century, thousands of Irish left their English-occupied homeland for North America. Like most new world settlers, the Irish initially settled on the eastern shores of the continent but began to move westward with the promise of owning land. The height of this Irish migration came during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. With apparently nothing to lose, Irish people left on ships bound for North America and Australia. Unfortunately a great many of these passengers lost their lives - the only thing many had left - to disease, starvation, and accidents during the long and dangerous journey. Those who did safely arrive in "the land of opportunities" were often used for the hard labor of building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. The Irish were critical to the quick development of the infrastructure of the United States and Canada. Passenger and immigration lists indicate that members of the Casaday family came to North America quite early: Patrick Cassidy who settled in Rhode Island, and later moved to Norwich in Connecticut, where he became one of America's first surgeons. Edward, Hugh, James, John, Patrick, Thomas and William Cassady who all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1865.

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: Frangas non flectes
Motto Translation: Thou may'st break, but shalt not bend me.