Feehan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The late 18th saw the beginnings of a steady pattern of immigration out of Ireland. These initial settlers were drawn to North America by the promise of land. The prospect of their own tract of land to work solely for themselves was especially appealing to those that rented out farmland in Ireland from English landowners who were frequently absent. These immigrants were critical to occupying the land of the eastern United States and British North America. This pattern continued steadily until the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine sparked a major exodus of Irish families. Unlike their predecessors, the Irish were frequently destitute and desperate, and North America was regarded as holding more promise than trying to eke out an existence in Ireland - if they survived the disease and starvation that the famine had created. This great mass of people frequently experienced more racial discrimination by the general population when they arrived on North American shores, but they were warmly received by those industrialists with coal mines to work, products to manufacture, and railways to build. These Irish immigrants provided the nations of the United States and, what would later become Canada, with the cheap labor that was required for their rapid development as major industrialized nations. Whenever and however Irish immigrants came to North America, they were instrumental to its cultural, economic, and industrial development. Immigration and passenger lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the name Feehan:

Feehan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

• Joseph H. Feehan, aged 26, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Santa Ana" from Colon 1
• Mary Feehan, aged 42, originally from Tramore, Co. Waterford, Ireland, who arrived in New York City, New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Baltic" from Queenstown, Ireland 1
• John Feehan, aged 38, originally from Killenaule, Ireland, who arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Kaiserin Augusta Victoria" from Queenstown, Ireland 1

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Feehan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Jeremiah Feehan, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1805
• Ms. Mary Feehan, aged 24 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Agnes" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in July 1847 2

Feehan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Bridget Feehan, aged 32, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Lismoyne"

• William M. Feehan (1929-2001), Fire Chief for the Department of New York, who died in the collapse of the World Trade Center, eponym of the William M. Feehan, a FDNY fireboat
• Christine Feehan, born Christine King, American romance-paranormal writer who has written more than 40 novels
• Patrick Feehan (1829-1902), Irish-born American Catholic bishop, born in Killenaulee, County Tipperary, he rose to become the 1st Archbishop of Chicago between 1880 and 1902
• Daniel Francis Feehan (1855-1934), American prelate, Bishop of the Diocese of Fall River
• Ed Feehan, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Montana, 1928 3
• Anthony Feehan, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from New York County 19th District, 1879 3
• James "Jimmy" Feehan (b. 1995), Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for the Tipperary senior team
• John Ignatius "Sonny" Feehan (1926-1995), Irish footballer who played from 1942 to 1959
• John M. Feehan (1916-1991), Irish author and publisher
• Geoff R. Feehan (b. 1935), former Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda (1957-1959)
• ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)