Floyd Families in America

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surname/tag: Floyd

Part of the Floyd Name Study

First Floyd Families in America

Notes from Ron Floyd (Floyd-1923)

Unsubstantiated Floyd family legend asserts that at least three Floyd brothers came from Wales to Accomack and Northampton Counties around 1675, forming the foundation of this extensive family along the Eastern Shore of VA."

From "A Floyd Family History," by Thomas A. Floyd Jr. (n.d. - found in the NC Archives file folders): (extracted] "Earliest Floyd Imigrants - Thomas Floyd in 1623, settled in west & Sharlow Hundred, VA - no further record; Nathaniel Floyd age 24, port of entry James City Co., VA, on ship called the Nova - settled in Martins Hundred, VA & owned 850 acres. According to "Early Floyds of Pike Co., AL the immigrants Nathaniel, John, Walter & Richard Floyd were brothers; Flug Floyd emigrated to VA in 1637 & settled in Isle of Wight Co., VA; John Floyd emigrated to VA in 1624, Walter Floyd in 1632. Richard Floyd age 23 was living in lower Norfolk VA in 1640. Nathaniel, John, Walter & Richard Floyd were sons of John Floyd of Wales (b. 1570) who never came to America. According to tradition many Floyds claim descent from Llywelyn ap Gruffydd (Floyd)."

N. J. Floyd in his VIRGINIA-KENTUCKY FLOYD FAMILIES (1912) says that "the general trend of all Virginia and Georgia traditions and genealogies leads back to two Floyds who landed at Jamestown something over a dozen years after its settlement, as the progenitors of the family in the South. Their names are given as Nathaniel and Walter." He says that a search of the old Jamestown records reveals "that in 1623 a record was made of the arrival from Wales of Nathaniel Floyd, age twenty-four years, in his own vessel, the 'Nova,' bringing 16 other persons." He goes on to say that several Floyds settled in Accomac County in 1675, and that these were likely grandsons of Nathaniel-- perhaps one of them the grandson of Walter. "It is quite certain that John, the elder of the party (Accomac Co., 1675) was the grandfather--possibly the father-- of William of Amherst (1720-1789) from whom all the Virginia-Kentucky Floyd families are descended.

" Cavaliers and Pioneers / Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1666 " by Nugent, Vol. 1 p. 75, " Nathaniel Floyd, 850 acs. Isle of Wight Co., 20 Nov. 1637, p. 798, 600 acs. being a neck about 4 mi. up the maine Cr. running up the baye of Warwicksquike, the said neck lying bet. 2 creeks and c. 250 acs. up towards the head of the maine cr. over small crks. or brookes. Transport of 17 persons: Christ. Denn(y?), Robert Leaderd, Wm. Moyses, Ambrose Procter, Tho. Weare, Robt. Barton, Rober Joyce, Mathew Tomlin, Jon. Cox, Rich. Redock, David Hopkins, Flug Floyd, Wm. Cox, Katherin Folder, Rich. Carter, Jon. Gillett, Christ. Thomas." Note: Warwickesquike was the original name for Isle of Wight, being changed in 1637.

"A Little Family History," by Mary Floyd Hamilton, relates that in a letter from her cousin Wm. S. Floyd of Baltimore, MD written to her in 1873: "Genealogy of the Floyd Fam. of Northampton Co. VA: There is a tradition in our family that the three brothers, viz: William, Frederick and Charles of Wales, who first settled in this country from Wales were descended from Llewellyn Floyd the last of the Welsh Kings...I have no certain information as to the date of their settlement in the then county of Accomac, VA, since divided into Accomac and Northampton counties: but from the best info. I can get, I should think, about the year 1675. Frederick married, his wife died leaving a child. He was so much distressed that he went crazy and starved himself and child to death. William Floyd, the son of one of the two remaining brothers, emigrated to Amherst County, VA. We have no other certain information as to the names of the heirs of the original settlers, William and Charles. Our next certain information is of William, who married Miss Estha (Esther?) Kendall of Northampton Co. VA, from whom my grandfather, John K. Floyd, was born. John K. Floyd married Miss Anne Teackle of Accomac Co. Their issue being: 1. Hetty 2. James 3. Frederick 4. John K. 5. Anne 6. William S. 7. Catherine 8. Charles. Hetty, James, Frederick, John K. and Charles died without issue. Wm. S. Floyd married Miss Anne Teackle Smith (dau. of Isaac & Ann Teackle his wife) by whom he had: 1. James Frederick 2. Lavinia 3. William S. (myself) 4. Kate 5. Nannie T. Lavinia & kate died when children. The William Floyd who married Miss Kendall had a nephew, Charles Floyd, who left the eastern shore of VA when a boy of about nine years of age, and went to sea. He afterwards settled in Georgia and married.