| ![Show Contents]() Massy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of MassyWhat does the name Massy mean? The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change to the island nation, including many immigrants with new names. Among these immigrants were the ancestors of the Massy family, who lived in Cheshire. Their name, however, is a reference to their place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Macey in Manche, Normandy. 1 Early Origins of the Massy familyThe surname Massy was first found in Cheshire where the one of the first records of the name was "Hugh Massie, who married Agnes, daughter and heir of Nicholas Bold, of Coddington. Their son William purchased the manor of Coddington in the eighteenth of Henry VI." 2 A branch of the family held a family seat at Backford since early times. "During a great part of the 13th and 14th centuries, the manor [of Backford] was held by the Masseys, of Timperley; about the year 1580 it was sold to Thomas Aldersey." 3 Birkenhead in Cheshire was another ancient family seat. "A priory for sixteen Benedictine monks was founded [in Birkenhead] about 1150, in honour of St. Mary and St. James, by Hamon de Massey, third Baron of Dunham-Massey." 3 Little is known of Hamon de Massey other than he held manors of Agden, Baguley, Bowdon, Dunham, Hale and Little Bollington. He is thought to have born in La Ferté-Macé, in the Orne department in north-western France. Early History of the Massy familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Massy research. Another 157 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1557, 1602, 1619, 1646, 1651, 1674, 1691, 1715, 1719, 1757, 1758, 1763, 1764, 1784, 1797, 1799, 1804, 1822, 1839, 1869 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Massy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Massy Spelling VariationsBefore the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Massy were recorded, including Massey, Massie, Macy, Macey and others. Early Notables of the Massy familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Edward Massey (c. 1619-1674), fifth son of John Massey of Coddington, an English soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1646 and 1674, he fought for the Parliamentary cause the First and Second English Civil Wars before changing allegiance and fighting for King Charles II during Third Civil War.Eyre Massey, 1st Baron Clarina (1719-1804), the Irish general, born on 24 May 1719, was fifth son of Colonel Hugh Massey of Duntryleague, co. Limerick, and his wife Elizabeth, fourth daughter of the Right Hon. George Evans, father of George...
Another 193 words (14 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Massy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Massy RankingIn France, the name Massy is the 6,289th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 4 Migration of the Massy family to IrelandSome of the Massy family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 89 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Massy migration to the United States | + |
The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Massy arrived in North America very early:
Massy Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Ralph Massy, who landed in Virginia in 1666 5
- William Massy, who arrived in Virginia in 1666 5
| Massy 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: Massy Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- William F. Massy, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "City of Auckland" in 1870
| Contemporary Notables of the name Massy (post 1700) | + |
- Sir Hugh Massy Wheeler (1789-1857), Irish Major-General in the Indian army, grandson of Frank Wheeler of Ballywire, co. Limerick
- 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)
- Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- 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)
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