Kinsella History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Irish families left their homeland in astonishing numbers during the 19th century in search of a better life. Although individual reasons vary, most of these Irish families suffered from extreme poverty, lack of work opportunities, and exorbitant rents in their homeland. Many decided to travel to Australia or North America in the hopes of finding greater opportunities and land. The Irish immigrants that came to North America initially settled on the East Coast, often in major centers such as Boston or New York. But like the many other cultures to settle in North America, the Irish traveled to almost any region they felt held greater promise; as a result, many Irish with gold fever moved all the way out to the Pacific coast. Others before that time left for land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula, or the Maritimes as United Empire Loyalists, for many Irish did choose to side with the English during the American War of Independence. The earliest wave of Irish migration, however, occurred during the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists has revealed many people bearing the Kinsella name:

Kinsella Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• John Alexander Kinsella who settled in America in 1846
• William Kinsella, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1855 3
• Matthew Kinsella, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1856 3
• Michael Kinsella, who settled in Philadelphia in 1860

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kinsella Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• James Kinsella, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1821
• Edward Kinsella, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1843
• Mr. William Kinsella, aged 22 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Coromandel" departing from the port of Dublin, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in July 1847 4
• Ms. Mary Kinsella who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "John Bell" departing 10th May 1847 from New Ross, Ireland; the ship arrived on 29th June 1847 but she died on board 5

Kinsella Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Miss Margaret Kinsella, (Harkin, Harkens), (b. 1803), aged 26, Irish servant who was convicted in County Wexford, Ireland for life for murder, transported aboard the "Edward" on 1st January 1829, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1855 6
• Eliza Kinsella, aged 28, a servant, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "British Empire" in 1850 7
• Eliza Kinsella, aged 28, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "British Empire" 7
• Edward Kinsella, aged 25, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Marshall Bennett" 8
• Margaret Kinsella, aged 22, a seamstress, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "William Hammond" 9
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Kinsella Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Miss Mary Kinsella, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th August 1859 10
• M. A. Kinsella, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Countess of Kintore" in 1870

• Thomas Kinsella (1832-1884), United States Representative from New York (1871-1873)
• Walter Kinsella (1900-1975), American theater, television and radio actor
• Walter A. Kinsella (1885-1971), American squash player, World Squash Champion from 1914 to 1926
• John Pitann Kinsella (b. 1952), American former competition swimmer and Olympic champion at the 1972 Summer Olympics
• Norman Stephan Kinsella (b. 1965), American intellectual property lawyer and author
• Tim Kinsella (b. 1974), American musician
• Mike Kinsella (b. 1977), American musician
• John Kinsella (1947-2024), Irish hurler who played as a right wing-forward for the Kilkenny senior team (1967-1973)
• Thomas Kinsella (1928-2021), Irish poet, translator, editor, and publisher from Inchicore, Dublin, awarded Doctor in Litteris, Honoris Causa, by the Trinity College Dublin in December 2018
• John Kinsella (1932-2021), Irish composer and the country's most prolific symphonist during the twentieth century
• ... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)