Hourihane 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 Hourihane:

Hourihane Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Mr. Kerne Hourihane, aged 18 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Sir Henry Pottinger" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle In August 1847 1

• Colum Hourihane, Irish-born art historian, iconographer, and editor formerly of Princeton University, specializing in medieval art and iconographic studies
• Conor Geraroid Hourihane (b. 1991), Irish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for EFL League One club Derby County and the Republic of Ireland national team