McCudden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Many destitute Irish families in the 18th and 19th centuries decided to leave their homeland, which had in many ways been scarred by English colonial rule. One of the most frequent destinations for these families was North America where it was possible for an Irish family to own their own parcel of land. Many of the early settlers did find land awaiting them in British North America, or even later in America, but for the majority of immigrants that arrived as a result of the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s the ownership of land was often a long way off. These Irish people were initially put to work on such industrial projects as the building of bridges, canals, and railroads, or they worked at manufacturing positions within factories. Whenever they arrived, the Irish made enormous contributions to the infant nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the earliest immigrants to bearer the name of McCudden were found through extensive research of immigration and passenger lists:

McCudden Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• William McCudden, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1832 1

McCudden Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. John Mccudden, (b. 1797), aged 45, Irish solider from Armagh who was convicted in Pune (Poonah), India for life for desertion from the army, transported aboard the "Flora" in 1829, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1835 2

• Leo B. McCudden, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Navy, during World War II, credited with 5 aerial victories
• Jenny McCudden, Irish journalist
• Robert McCudden (b. 1962), professional Australian rules footballer
• Second Lieutenant John Anthony McCudden (1897-1918), English World War I flying ace with 8 victories
• James Thomas Byford McCudden VC, DSO & Bar, MC & Bar, MM (1895-1918), English ace with 57 victories, recipient of the Victoria Cross