Origin of the Name Fitzpatrick
The
Fitzpatrick family history was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives.
Over the centuries Surnames developed a wide number of variants. Different spellings of the same name can be traced back to an original root. Additionally when a bearer of a name emigrated it was not uncommon that their original name would be incorrectly transcribed in the record books at their new location. Surnames were also often altered over the years based on how they sounded phonetically and depending on the prevailing political conditions it may have been advantageous to change a name from one language to another.
Variants of the name Fitzpatrick
include Kilpatrick and Patrick. Meaning 'devotee of Saint Patrick', the great ancestor of these families was Giolla Padraig, the warlike Chief of Ossory who lived in the tenth century. Parts of the Sept are now widespread throughout Ireland , with the greatest numbers in Leix. The most important family, whose head was Lord of Upper Ossory, ruled over Leix and Kilkenny. They were one of the first Irish Septs to lose considerable amounts of wealth and land through their loyalty to King James II. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries variations to the name began in the forms of Kilpatrick and Gilpatrick and are still very much in use today. Fitzpatrick is the only 'Fitz' name of true Gaelic origin.
The Fitzpatrick coat of arms came into existence centuries ago. The process of creating coats of arms (also often called family crests) began in the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this. The new art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own coat of arms, including all Fitzpatrick descendants.