Crosby and Vizzard - are they really Irish names?

guitarhappy · 29-04-2021 8:56am #1

Are Crosby/Crosbie and Vizzard Irish family names?

There's no doubt the Crosby and Vizzard families in question were in Roscommon for at least a couple centuries, specifically Upper Polanea, Killtullagh Parrish, Castlerea, Co Roscommon. They're in the spinning wheel digest as far back as I could find those records to go online and there are property records and the Ordinance maps showing wet lands consistent with people who would grow flax, spin and weave linen to be in the spinning wheel records.

There was another Crosby family in Lower Polanea but I'm told they are a separate family not related.

The Upper Polanea Crosby were Catholic. I know that because I think I have known every Crosby/Vizzard who was alive in the last 120 years. I mention they're being Catholic because there are huge numbers of Crosby who are Scottish, English, or from Eastern Canada and the southern United States who usually are Protestant.

I'm aware that Crosby might be derived from McCrossan/McCroison etc as an old Irish name but this seems to be a small clan in Upper Polanea who aren't related to the larger number of another kind of Crosby. Vizzard is a real oddball name, they only show up in a few old English records.

Would any one have an idea or theory who these people were, where they came from and why they were in Roscommon?
Thanks in advance.

pinkypinky · 29-04-2021 11:01am

MacLysaght includes Crosbie in his Surnames of Ireland and says it was an English toponymic adopted by a MacCrossan family from Laois who "espoused the English cause and migrated to Kerry in the 17th century". There is a note that there's more in his More Irish Families book, which I don't have. So no reference to Roscommon here.

Vizzard is not listed in the book.

I don't think you can assume they were Catholic on the basis of the last 120 years.

Mick Tator · 29-04-2021 11:41am

To add to what Pinky has said, many of the Irish Crosbie’s/Crosby’s are from two distinct septs of Mac an Chrosáin. One came from Tirconnell, the other from Laois/Offaly, where they were hereditary bards to the O’Mores and O’Connors. It was one of the latter who ‘switched sides’ and having been granted lands in North Kerry established the family there. Kerry Crosbie’s were both RC and CoI and at least one was a CoI bishop in Ardfert. They were big landlords by 1600 and intermarried with the MacGillycuddy’s. Agnes Hickson has quite a lot on the Kerry family in her book.

As Pinky says you cannot attribute origin to religion or vice-a-versa. The Roscommon Crosbies could be an offshoot of either sept that migrated north or south or could be descended from a Cromwellian planter of that name.

guitarhappy · 29-04-2021 8:28pm

It's strangely devastating to read the above, like how some Americans or Jamaicans must feel to discover their ancestors were slave owners. I might need some time to process it. Even though it's generalized historical information it explains some contemporary dynamics. Something like karma. Thanks mates.

leck · 08-06-2021 12:23am

There are Vizzards in Mayo too

Crosby and Vizzard - are they really Irish names?

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