Downey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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 Downey family came to North America quite early:

Downey Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• James Downey who went to Pennsylvania in 1711
• Darby Downey, who sailed to America in 1738
• Elizabeth Downey went to Philadelphia in 1745
• Elizabeth Downey, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1745 5
• Daniel Downey, who settled in New England in 1748
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Downey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• James Downey, who arrived in Maryland in 1812 5
• Charles Downey, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1838 5
• Peter Downey, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 5
• Dennis Downey, aged 44, who landed in Missouri in 1847 5
• Patrick Downey went to Boston in 1849 when he was 26
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Downey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

• C. R. Downey went to Oregon in the year 1900

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Downey Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Judith Downey, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1820
• Sarah Downey, who settled in Quebec in 1824
• Calvin C Downey, who arrived in Canada in 1828
• John Downey, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Lord Goderich" from London, England
• Anne Downey, aged 28, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Lord Goderich" from London, England
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Downey Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. Michael Downey, (b. 1788), aged 32, Irish labourer who was convicted in Galway, Ireland for 7 years for sedition, transported aboard the "Dorothy" on 5th May 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
• Mr. Daniel Downey, Welsh convict who was convicted in Cardigan, Ceredigion, Wales for 7 years, transported aboard the "Claudine" on 20th May 1821, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
• Patrick Downey, a carpenter, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
• Thomas Downey, a carpenter, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832
• Mr. John Downey, English convict who was convicted in Devon, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 13th March 1828, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Downey Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Edward Downey, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
• John Downey, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
• John Downey, aged 23, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Oriental" in 1840
• Mary Downey, aged 23, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Oriental" in 1840
• Mr. John Downey, (b. 1816), aged 23, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand on 31st January 1840 9
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

• Robert John Downey Jr. (b. 1965), Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning American actor and musician, from 2013 to 2015, he was listed by Forbes as Hollywood's highest-paid actor
• Mortimer Leo Downey III (1936-2023), American government official, Deputy Secretary of Transportation from 1993 to 2001
• Robert John Downey Sr. (1936-2021), American actor, director, producer, writer, cinematographer, and the father of actor Robert Downey Jr
• Thomas Joseph Downey (b. 1949), American politician Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York (1975-1993)
• Sean Morton Downey (1932-2001), American singer, songwriter and talk show host, known for his program The Morton Downey, Jr. Show
• J. Harold Downey, American politician, Member of Illinois State House of Representatives 41st District, 1945-55 10
• Frank X. Downey, American politician, Member of Illinois State House of Representatives, 1957-65, 1965-67 10
• Francis W. Downey, American politician, Delegate to New Hampshire State Constitutional Convention from Manchester 5th Ward, 1956 10
• Ellen Downey, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1920, 1924 10
• Edward L. Downey Jr., American politician, Mayor of Marquette, Michigan, 1965, 1968 10
• ... (Another 36 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

• A Downey & Crawford Ancestry by Roy H. Downey.
• The Genealogy of Thomas Downey and Margaret Tracey by Joyce V. Hawley Spires.