Hi Alison,
My dad's a Brophey and his family goes back several generations in the Windsor (Essex county) area in Ontario. Whereabouts are your Bropheys located? My grandfather came from a family of about a dozen boys so it surprises me that there were only 50 households with that surname in the 70's.
Since there are both Brophys and Bropheys in Ireland today, I suspect the change of spelling took place before they hit Canada - it does seem to be based on religion, however.

Hello Bunnyhug!
Thank you for letting me know about your grandfather's family in the Essex County area. Most of my father's family (Bropheys) have and continue to live in the southern Ontario area (Parkhill, Grand Bend, London). I checked the Brophey family history that my father's aunt documented in the 70's. She included the three Brophy brothers who came to Canada from Ireland (James, Thomas and David) after the Irish rebellion in the 1800's. She only knew that David changed the spelling of Brophy to Brophey when he arrived in Candada. I only have the Brophey history document in hard copy but I plan to convert it to electronic form- I'll send you a copy if you like.

Hope to hear from you again,
Alison

Hi Alison, Check this out: http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/passengerlists/1822/nssep12.htm
There are 2 Bropheys, 23 & 26 years old, both W. Brophey, on this list from 1822. Maybe yours, maybe ours? Maybe not? Does this jive with anything you have?
Feel free to contact me directly: karen.brophey@cnib.ca

Hey Alison Brophey how about that! I am a Brophey of the umbrella kind. They manufactured these umbrellas in Montreal and Toronto in 1920's - 1940's? aprox. It was my grandfather? I have to check, maybe great grandfather. I collect those umbrellas as well. They also made dolls. Weird but whatever, takes one to know one. They also had some funny businesses in Brantford Ontario such as lightening rod salesmen (!) I have done some geneological research and you might want to contact me directly, as well I would be interested in your Brophey-ness. email me at dudebrophey@hotmail.com. (My name is Jean actually) google me for Jean Brophey trivia. (And same goes to any other "Bropheys with an e" out there eavesdropping)

Hi Alison,

Sorry I don't know Jean Brophey. This is some of the history I have about the Brophey family. Edward Brophey born in 1831 in St. Hallair Ireland. Married Rotha Fidelia Adams ( daughter of John Adams President of the U.S.A) on Oct 7, 1861 Boston Mass. They moved to Brantford Ont. in 1863. He died Sept 28, 1888, there is a Brophey Monument in one of the cemeteries there. Sorry I don't know which one. They had four children Fred born in the U.S., William Allard, Frank, and Grace all born in Canada. This is my side of the family. William Allard born Feb. 19, 1869 Brantford Ont. Married Mary Janet Miller May 24, 1892, He died in London Ont. on May 24, 1953. I am a little short on time today so I will continue the history at a later date.


Don