Canadian Frenchs

 

Caroline Mary French has an equally fantastic clan of kinsmen representatives coming from the Island of Newfoundland. This Norman-Irish bloodline, hardy people of some legend, continues to influence the Canadian Wallaces today. In these coming pages, we will share some of their pictures and stories.

* See also the more extensive notes found in Catalog of Kin

** See also photos of many of your French relations. More digitized versions will follow.

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IrishFrench

 

Ffrench / French FamilyArms. Ermine, a chevron, sable.

Crest. A Dolphin, embowed, upon rocks, proper.

Motto. One heart, one mind.

The French family, sometimes written Ffrench in the old manner, are one of the most distinguished of the Tribes of Galway.

The originally accompanied William the Conqueror to England, and were amongst the first wave of Anglo-Norman settlers in Ireland.

Ffrench Family Crest Galway Ireland

They left fine seats at Castle French, Monivea, Frenchgrove, Rahasane and Tyrone in Galway; as well as several in Mayo & Roscommon as well. Very few of the family left now.This family is descended from Sir Maximilian Ffrench, the first of the name, whose descendants accompanied their kinsman, William the Conqueror, into England.  Their original place of settlement in Ireland, together with many other English and Anglo-Norman adventurers, was County Wexford; From there, over time, they gradually spread throughout the other parts of Ireland.Two families of the name settled at different periods in Galway, the first, with Walter French, in the reign of Henry VI. about the year 1425. The other, with Henry Begg Ffrench, in the reign of Elizabeth; since which time, they have ranked amongst the most considerable in the Province.

The family of Castle Ffrench, near Ahascragh in County Galway, was raised to the dignity of the Peerage, in the year 1798. The Right Honorable Charles Baron Ffrench, of Castle Ffrench is the present Lord.

The other branches of the French name, are those of Ballinahalla, now of Beagh, Carrorea, Elmhill, Ffrenchgrove, Monivea, Portcarn, Rahasane and Tyrone in  County Galway, Ballykeneave and Culliane in County Mayo, and Foxborough, Frenchpark, Port, Rocksavage and Snipehill, in County Roscommon.

French is an anglicised version of Defreine which has a Norman Irish origin.

The DeFreines, the ffrenches, and the Frenches, who were of noble blood, came to Ireland with Strongbow during the Norman invasion of Ireland from 1169 to 1172 AD. There were and still are two or three families of Irish peers who carry the names DeFréine, ffrench, and French. As Anglo-Normans the French family became one of the 14 Tribes of Galway, helping to found the town in 1425 AD, fortifying it to keep the locals out. (from Wiki)

 

 

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