User Home Pages The Rafferty Family Home Page
The Rafferty Family Home PageUpdated January 14, 2005 | Among the clans affiliated with "Nial of the Nine Hostages" O'Neill...was that of the "O'RABHARTAIGH" (from the given name of the clan founder, "Rabhartach").The pronunciation of the "bh" being as "ff", and the final "gh" being virtually silent, you can understand how easily it was for the English translation to result in "O'RAFFERTY",then to the present day "RAFFERTY".My family comes from the County Tyrone branch of the Rafferty name. According to a very old family letter written circa 1890, my RAFFERTY ancestors originate near Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.Patrick Rafferty's widow, Susannah, emigrated from Ireland in 1846 with her daughters Catherine and Rosanna, and son, John. They settled north of Toronto, Canada. A family "myth" is that during the crossing, John was on deck and leaned a wee bit far over the railing, then began to slip....luckily a fella nearby grabbed at him, catching John by his longish red hair.There, but for the grace..... My great-grandfather, John Rafferty was born in 1837. He married Jane MORRISON b. 1842 and they farmed in Zephyr, Scott Township,Ontario. Other names I am researching: MOORE, McCLELLAN, SMITH, CARLINE. I will be adding a Genealogy Report to this page.I appreciate the time you take to contact me with any information that may assist both yours and my research....may you find that long, lost cousin you didn't even know you have!! |
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