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Findlay History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Findlay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Findlay is an ancient Pictish-Scottish name. It is derived from the Gaelic Fionnlagh which is often Anglicized to fair hero.

Early Origins of the Findlay family

The surname Findlay was first found in Banffshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Bhanbh), former Scottish county located in the northeasterly Grampian region of Scotland, now of divided between the Council Areas of Moray and Aberdeenshire, where they were descended from the Chiefs of the Clan Farquharson, one of the great federation of 26 Clans, known as the Clan Chattan.

Early History of the Findlay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Findlay research. Another 214 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1480, 1547, 1629, 1755, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Findlay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Findlay Spelling Variations

Translation has done much to alter the appearance of many Scottish names. It was a haphazard process that lacked a basic system of rules. Spelling variations were a common result of this process. Findlay has appeared Findlay, Findlow, Findlaw, Finley, Finlay and others.

Early Notables of the Findlay family

More information is included under the topic Early Findlay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Findlay World Ranking

In the United States, the name Findlay is the 6,870^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1 However, in Australia, the name Findlay is ranked the 769^th most popular surname with an estimated 5,066 people with that name. 2 And in New Zealand, the name Findlay is the 409^th popular surname with an estimated 1,601 people with that name. 3 The United Kingdom ranks Findlay as 727^th with 9,235 people. 4

Migration of the Findlay family to Ireland

Some of the Findlay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 87 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Findlay migration to the United States +

Many Scots left their country to travel to the North American colonies in search of the freedom they could not find at home. Of those who survived the difficult voyage, many found the freedom they so desired. There they could choose their own beliefs and allegiances. Some became United Empire Loyalists and others fought in the American War of Independence. The Clan societies and highland games that have sprung up in the last century have allowed many of these disparate Scots to recover their collective national identity. A search of immigration and passenger ship lists revealed many early settlers bearing the Findlay name:

Findlay Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Alexander Findlay, who arrived in Georgia in 1770 5

Findlay Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

H Findlay, aged 40, who arrived in America in 1822 5
John Findlay, who settled in South Carolina in 1823
Charles S Findlay, aged 30, who landed in Key West, Fla in 1837 5
William Findlay, who landed in Rhode Island in 1855 5

Findlay migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Findlay Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

James Findlay, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
Keith Findlay, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907

Findlay migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Findlay Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Charles Findlay, Scottish convict who was convicted in Perth, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Eden" on 8th July 1840, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1892 6
Mr. John Findlay, Scottish convict who was convicted in Perth, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 25th January 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 7
Alexander Findlay, aged 35, a labourer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Sultana" in 1850 8
Margaret Findlay, aged 23, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1859 aboard the ship "North"

Findlay migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Findlay Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. John Findlay, Irish settler born in Dublin arriving as Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling aboard the ship "Sir Robert Sale" from Gravesend via Cork arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 11th October 1847 9
Mrs. Amelia Findlay Née Kent, (b. 1816), aged 31, Irish settler with 3 children travelling aboard the ship "Sir Robert Sale" from Gravesend via Cork arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 11th October 1847 9
Mr. Matthew Findlay, (b. 1808), aged 39, Irish settler arriving as Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling aboard the ship "Sir Robert Sale" from Gravesend via Cork arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 11th October 1847 9
Mrs. Catherine Findlay Née Hoyne, Irish settler travelling aboard the ship "Sir Robert Sale" from Gravesend via Cork arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 11th October 1847 9
Mr. John Findlay, Irish settler travelling aboard the ship "Sir Robert Sale" from Gravesend via Cork arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 11th October 1847 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Findlay (post 1700) +

Conn Francis Findlay (1930-2021), American four-time Olympic medalist sailor and rower
Linnie Taylor Marchant Findlay (1918-2009), American historian and writer
William Findlay (1768-1846), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1797; Pennsylvania State Treasurer, 1807-17; Governor of Pennsylvania, 1817-20 10
Jonathan Smith Findlay, American politician, Delegate to Missouri State Constitutional Convention from Howard County, 1820 10
John Van Lear Findlay (1839-1907), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Maryland State House of Delegates, 1861-62; U.S. Representative from Maryland 4th District, 1883-87 10
John Findlay (1766-1838), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania, 1821-27 10
James Findlay (1770-1835), American politician, Member of Ohio State House of Representatives, 1803; Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, 1805-06, 1810-11; U.S. Representative from Ohio 1st District, 1825-33 10
Hiram Findlay, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Pennsylvania State Senate, 1870-72 10
Francis T. Findlay, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Justice of New York Supreme Court 8th District, 1940 10
Donald R. Findlay, American Republican politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives 62nd District, 1978 10
... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Findlay family +

Empress of Ireland

Mrs. Isabella Findlay (1867-1914), née Ivison Canadian Second Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 11
Mr. Johnson Findlay (1882-1914), English Second Class Passenger from Liverpool, England, United Kingdom who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 11
Major Hugh Findlay (1874-1914), Canadian Second Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 11

Halifax Explosion

Mr. Dave Findlay (1910-1917), Canadian resident from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 12
Miss Dana B Findlay (1910-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 12
Master Clinton Findlay (1913-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 12
Mrs. Georgina Findlay (1879-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 12
Miss Kathleen Findlay, Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 12
... (Another 4 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. Gordon Lindsay Findlay (1914-1941), Australian Acting Ordnance Artificer 4th Class from Moonee Ponds, Victoria, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 13

Ibrox disaster

George Crockett Findlay (1950-1971), Scottish football supporter, from Glasgow who was at the Ibrox disaster on 2nd January 1971 when a human crush among the crowd killed 66 and injured 200 people he died of his injuries 14

The Findlay 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: Fortis in arduis
Motto Translation: Brave in difficulties.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th October 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SULTANA 1850. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Sultana.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 16) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
Bradford City Football Club In memory (retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://www.bradfordcityafc.com/club/in-memoriam/