Flaharty History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Irish families began to immigrate to British North America and the United States in the 18th century, but the greatest influx of Irish immigrants came during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. The earlier settlers came to North America after a great deal of consideration and by paying relatively high fees for their passage. These settlers were primarily drawn by the promise of land. Those later settlers that came during the 1840's were trying to escape the conditions of poverty, starvation, disease, and death that had stricken Ireland. Due to the enormity of their numbers and the late date of their arrival, these immigrants primarily became hired laborers instead of homesteading settlers like their predecessors. An exhaustive search of immigration and passenger lists has revealed many Irish immigrants North America bearing the name Flaharty:

Flaharty Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• James Flaharty, who landed in Virginia in 1651 [4]

Flaharty Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Timothy Flaharty, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1767

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Flaharty Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Edmond Flaharty, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1824

Flaharty Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. Edward Flaharty, British Convict who was convicted in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [5]
• John Flaharty, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "Adelaide" on April 16, 1855, settling in Western Australia [6]

• Cheryl Flaharty, American founder of the Iona Contemporary Dance Theater, Hawaii
• Geraldine Flaharty, American politician, Democratic member of the Kansas House of Representatives (1995-)
• Geraldine Flaharty, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kansas, 2000 [7]