Toohey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the Toohey family relocated to North American shores quite early:

Toohey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Bridget Toohey, aged 2, who landed in New York in 1854 ^[2]
• Ellen Toohey, aged 30, who landed in New York in 1854 ^[2]
• Jude Toohey, aged 40, who landed in New York in 1854 ^[2]
• Margaret Toohey, aged 4, who arrived in New York in 1854 ^[2]
• Ned Toohey, who landed in New York in 1854 ^[2]
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Toohey Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Denis Toohey, who arrived in Canada in 1829

Toohey Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mary Toohey, aged 22, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Sea Park"

Toohey Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Peter Toohey, who landed in Bay of Islands, New Zealand in 1836

• John Peter Toohey (1892-1984), American college football player
• John Peter Toohey (1880-1946), American writer and publicist, member of the Algonquin Round Table
• John Thomas Toohey, Irish-born, Australian brewer, founder of Tooheys in 1869
• Peter Toohey (b. 1954), Australian cricketer who played in 15 Tests and 5 ODIs from 1977 to 1979
• John Leslie Toohey AC, QC (b. 1930), Australian judge and Justice of the High Court of Australia (1987-1998)
• Meghan Toohey, folk-rock singer/songwriter