Surname Falvey - Meaning and Origin
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Falvey: What does the surname Falvey mean?
The last name Falvey is an Irish surname of Norman origins. It is derived from the Old French nickname "Faulvel" meaning "valley." The surname is most commonly found in County Kerry, Ireland.
The history of the Falvey surname is linked to the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169. William de Falaise was granted lands from King Henry II at Ballimagery in County Kerry. His descendants were later given the name ‘MacFhailbhe’, which later evolved into ‘Falvey’.
The Falvey family is traditionally associated with commerce and farming, although many Falveys have gone on to make a name for themselves in other areas, such as politics, the military, and the arts.
Today, the Falvey name can be found all over the world. Its Irish origins are still remembered, though, and some people with the surname proudly sport a shamrock as a symbol of their Irish heritage. The surname is usually pronounced ‘FAH-vay’, and the modern spelling of the name is interchangeable with the traditional spelling of "Fallvey."
Order DNA origin analysisFalvey: Where does the name Falvey come from?
The last name Falvey is most common in Ireland, particularly in County Clare. Falvey was originally derived from the old Irish Gaelic patronymic surname O h Failbhe, which means “descendant of Failbhe". It is a researchable surname and, as of 2020, its origins can be traced back as far as the 11th century. The name was borne by several prominent members of Irish nobility, most notably the O'Falvey dynasty.
The families bearing the Falvey surname spread from Ireland to North America, particularly to the United States, during the 19th century Irish diaspora. The families primarily settled in large cities or port-side towns on the east and west coasts. The states with the largest populations of Falveys include Massachusetts, New York, California, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
At present, people with the last name Falvey are scattered all around the world in many countries, including Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The Falvey name still remains active throughout County Clare and many nearby counties in Ireland, where the surname is quite common.
Variations of the surname Falvey
The surname Falvey has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin including Fauvel, Favel, Favelle, Favela, Favell, Favello, Favelo, Favelas, Faveles, Favellas, Favall, Favalli, Favallis, Favellis, Favalo, Favales, Favalos, Falvai, and Falvei.
Falvey is an ancient Irish surname, first found in County Cork. One of the earliest documented records of the surname dates back to the fourteenth century in the form of Thomas Fauvelle, found in the records of the city of Dublin. It is thought that the name is derived from the Irish language and means "son of the Wolf" or "son of Uallach".
The variation Favelle can be found in French records as far back as the sixteenth century. The spelling Favell can be found in both English and Dutch records from the seventeenth century and the Spanish spelling Favelo in records from the eighteenth century.
Variations of the surname Falvey are found all over the world, first in England, Scotland, and Ireland, but in the late nineteenth century, many of its more modern variations began to appear in other countries, including the United States, Canada, France, and Spain. In Irish families, the surname is often anglicized to “Wavell” or “Valley.” The accompanying coat of arms includes a falcon on a green shield with three silver stars on the left and a golden lion on the right.
Famous people with the name Falvey
- Robert Falvey: Irish film, theatre and television actor
- Rory Falvey: Irish professional rugby player
- Larry Falvey: American journalist and writer
- Paddy Falvey: Irish Gaelic football player
- Shane Falvey: Irish Gaelic football player
- Sinead Falvey: Irish Actress
- John Falvey: British journalist
- Warren Falvey: Australian cricket player
- Prudence Falvey: British Artist
- Donal Falvey: Irish author and radio personality