Newtownards, a pictorial history

Origins
This surname appears to be of medieval French or Norman origins, but is in part Gaelic - Irish. It derives from O'Devoy, itself an Anglicized spelling (circa 1550) of the ancient "O'Dubhuidhe". The O'Devoys were one of the original seven septs (clans) of Leix, and it is recorded that they were the lords of Creamhlhain (now Maryborough) from time immemorial. Their resistance to Norman-British rule over many centuries led to the sept being transplanted to County Kerry in 1607. However, this ruling appears to have had little success, the name not being recorded there either in the 1659 Census of Ireland, or now. The name means literally "the descendant of the dark one", and at various times it has been recorded as Deevy, O'Devy, O'Dyvoy, and O'Dyvoie, the most famous nameholder being John Devoy (1842 - 1928), one of the original Fenians, and founder of the present state. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Edmund Divey (alias Devoy), which was dated 1681, will registered at Smithstown, County Kilkenny, Ireland, during the reign of King Charles 11, known as "The Merry Monarch", 1660 - 1685. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Devoy, William - 26th. November 1866 or 76 - {Father Andrew Devoy} - {Mother Eliza Ferris}
Devoy, Maggie - 5th. August 1870 - {Father Andrew Devoy} - {Mother Eliza Ferris}

Devoy, James - 1883 - {Father John Devoy} - {Mother Eleanor ............}
Devoy, Mary - 1884 - {Father John Devoy} - {Mother Eleanor ............}
Devoy, Samuel - 1886 - {Father John Devoy} - {Mother Eleanor ............}
Devoy, Agnes Jane "Netta" - 1893 - {Father John Devoy} - {Mother Eleanor ............}
Devoy, John Forbes - 1894 - {Father John Devoy} - {Mother Eleanor ............}
Devoy, Eleanor Maria - 1899 - {Father John Devoy} - {Mother Eleanor ............}

Erected by John DeVoy of Newtownards - H
DeVoy, Eleanor Maria - 30th. October 1899 aged 6 months - Daughter of above
DeVoy, James Alexander - 20th. November 1913 aged 20 - {b.c1893} - Son of above

Devoy, John - 20th. April 1910 - A harness maker of Court Square
13th. May 1910 - Administration of the Estate of John Devoy late of Court Square Newtownards County Down Harness Maker who died 20 April 1910 granted at Belfast to Eleanor Devoy the Widow. - Effects Ł37-7s-2d

Devoy, Sgt.Samuel - 1st. July 1916 - 11 South Street - No.17563 13th. Btn. Royal Irish Rifles - Buried Thiepval Cemetery

Devoy, Eliza - 11th. November 1854 aged 22 years - (Father William Devoy) - Married James Edmund

Devoy, John a saddler - 28th. June 1882 - (Father James Devoy a farmer) - Married Eleanor Maria McCracken
Witnesses were Jane Kane and Mary McCracken @ 1st.Presbyterian

1901 Census - Residents of a house 16 in Castle Street (Newtownards Urban, Down)

Surname	Forename	Age	Born	Sex	Relation to head	Religion	Birthplace	Occupation	Marital Status
Devoy	John	47	c1854	Male	Head of Family	Presbyterian	Down	Saddler	Married
Devoy	Eleanor	40	c1861	Female	Wife	Presbyterian	Down	-	Married
Devoy	James	18	c1883	Male	Son	Presbyterian	Down	Apprentice Saddler	Not Married
Devoy	Mary	16	c1885	Female	Daughter	Presbyterian	Down	Apprentice Dressmaker	Not Married
Devoy	Samuel	14	c1887	Male	Son	Presbyterian	Down	Apprentice Draper	Not Married
Devoy	Agnes Jane "Netta"	8	c1893	Female	Daughter	Presbyterian	Down	Scholar	Not Married
Devoy	John Forbes	6	c1895	Male	Son	Presbyterian	Down	Scholar	Not Married

1911 Census - Residents of a house 11 in South Street (Newtownards Urban, Down)

Surname	Forename	Age	Sex	Relation to head	Religion	Birthplace	Occupation	Marital Status	Years Married	Children Born	Children Living
Devoy	Eleanor Maria	50	Female	Wife	Presbyterian	Co Down	-	Widow	29	6	3
Devoy	Samuel	24	Male	Son	Presbyterian	Co Down	Drapers Assistant	Single	-	-	-
Devoy	Agnes Jane	18	Female	Daughter	Presbyterian	Co Down	Milliner	Single	-	-	-
Devoy	John Forbes	16	Male	Son	Presbyterian	Co Down	Hosiery Apprentice	Single	-	-	-
McCullagh	James	31	Male	Boarder	Methodist	Co Fermanagh	Grocers Assistant	Single	-	-	-
Lyons	John	24	Male	Boarder	Reformed Presbyterian	Co Antrim	Ironmonger's Assistant	Single	-	-	-
Morrison	John	21	Male	Boarder	Presbyterian	Co Down	Grocer Assistant	Single	-	-	-

1914~1918 Eleanor leased 58 South Street from the Marquis of Londonderry and in 1921 she leased no.60 next door