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Powers History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Powers History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Powers surname is thought to have derived from the Middle English, Old French word "povre," or "poure" meaning "poor;" as such, it was probably originally a nickname for a poor man. Other instances of this same name are thought to come from the name of the town of Pois, in Picardy, France. Natives of this town were called Pohiers, and the name became in Britain after the Conquest.

And yet another source claims the name was originally "Poher, or Poncaer, descended from the Lords of Poncaer in Brittany. " 1

Early Origins of the Powers family

The surname Powers was first found in Devon where they settled in "1066 with Alured de Mayenne; and in 1165 Ranulph Poer held three fees of his barony 2. Bartholomew Poher, at the same time, was Lord of Blackborough, Devon, and father to Robert Poher, who settled in Ireland." 3

"According to the Peerages it was, however, Roger, not Robert de la Poer, who went with Earl Strongbow to the conquest of Ireland, and received vast grants of territory. ' It may be said without offence,' writes Giraldus Cambrensis, 'that there was not a man who did more valiant acts than Roger le Poer, who, although he were young and beardless, yet showed himself a lusty, valiant, and courageous gentleman, who grew into such good credit, that he had the government of the country about Leighlin, as also in Ossory, where he was traiterously killed; on whose slaughter a conspiracy was formed among the Irish to destroy the English, and many castles were destroyed.' The Poer estates were of magnificent dimensions, extending from near Youghal to Cork Harbour, where the celebrated headland guarding its entrance still bears the name of Poor Head. The S. transept of Cloyne Cathedral is also called after them Poor Aisle. Among the most ancient writs to be found in the Irish Rolls Office are those summoning Nicholas le Poer, Baron of Waterford, to parliament in 1378, 1381, and 1383." 1

Early History of the Powers family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Powers research. Another 169 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1162, 1166, 1172, 1257, 1439, 1444, 1445, 1623, 1668, 1754 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Powers History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Powers Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Poer, Poher, Power, Powers and others.

Early Notables of the Powers family

Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Powers Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Powers Ranking

In the United States, the name Powers is the 314^th most popular surname with an estimated 87,045 people with that name. 4

Migration of the Powers family to Ireland

Some of the Powers family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Powers migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Powers Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Elizabeth Powers, who arrived in Maryland in 1678 5

Powers Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

George Powers, who landed in New York in 1769-1770 5

Powers Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Powers, aged 30, who arrived in New York in 1812 5
Edmond Powers, aged 24, who arrived in Missouri in 1844 5
Ann Powers, who landed in New York, NY in 1847 5
Charles, David, Edward, James, John, Martin, Michael, Patrick, and Thomas Powers, who all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860
Edward Powers, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1878 5

Powers migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Powers Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Henry Powers U.E. who settled in Shefford Township, Eastern Townships [La Haute-Yamaska Regional County Municipality], Quebec c. 1784 an associate of Captain John Savage 6
Mr. Richard Powers U.E. who settled in Shefford Township, Eastern Townships [La Haute-Yamaska Regional County Municipality], Quebec c. 1784 an associate of Captain John Savage 6

Powers migration to Australia +

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

Powers Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Samuel Powers, English convict from Worcester, who was transported aboard the "Albion" on May 29, 1828, settling in New South Wales, Australia 7
John Powers, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "America" on April 4, 1829, settling in New South Wales, Australia 8
Ann Powers, English convict from Northampton, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on December 14, 1835, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 9
Eliza Powers, aged 18, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Europa" 10
Ellen Powers, aged 20, a cook, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Oriental,"

Powers 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:

Powers Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Joseph Powers, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Wyvern" in 1856

Contemporary Notables of the name Powers (post 1700) +

Johnny Powers (1938-2023), born John Leon Joseph Mooney, an American guitar player, singer, writer and producer specializing in rockabilly, best known for his 1957 recording of "Long Blond Hair"
Warren Anthony Powers (1941-2021), American football player and head coach at Washington State University in 1977, and the University of Missouri from 1978 through 1984
William Charles Powers Jr. (1946-2019), American attorney, academic, and university administrator, 28th President of the University of Texas at Austin (2006-2015)
Georgia Montgomery Davis Powers (1923-2016), American politician, first female and African-American member of the Kentucky State Senate (1968-1989)
Major-General Edward Michael Powers (1892-1977), American Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Material, Headquarters US Air Force (1947-1949) 11
Patrick "Pat" Robert Powers (b. 1958), American two-time gold medalist volleyball player
Jeff Powers (1980-2008), American silver medalist water polo player at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Timothy Thomas "Tim" Powers (b. 1952), American science fiction and fantasy author
Tom Powers (1890-1955), American stage and film actor
Chester "Chet" William Powers Jr. (1937-1994), American singer-songwriter
... (Another 146 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
Liber Niger Scutarii ("Black Book of the Exchequer"), containing reports by county on feudal holdings in England in 1166 (reign of Henry II)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 24) Albion voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1828 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/albion/1828
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 26) America voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1829 with 176 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/america/1829
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Arab voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1835 with 132 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/arab/1835
South Australian Register Monday 14th May 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Europa 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/europa1855.shtml
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2014, March 26) Edward Powers. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Powers/Edward_Michael/USA.html