To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Steele family to immigrate North America:

Steele Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• James, Mary, Rachel, and Joan Steele, who settled in Nantasket Massachusetts in 1631
• George Steele, who arrived in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1631-1632 Steele Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Geo Steele, who landed in Virginia in 1706 Steele Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
    • Philip Millington Steele, who landed in America in 1806  Steele migration to Canada+

      Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

      Steele Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

      • William Steele, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
      • William Steele, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749
      • John Steele, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
      • John Steele, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1760
      • John Steele, who settled in St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1762 Steele Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
        • Mr. John Steele who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship “Araminta” departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle on 8th June 1847 Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship “Araminta” departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle on 31st May 1847 Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship “Araminta” departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle on 1st June 1847  Steele migration to Australia+

          Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

          Steele Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

          • Mr. John Steele, English convict who was convicted in Kent, England for 14 years, transported aboard the “Dromedary” on 11th September 1819, arriving in Tasmania ( Van Diemen’s Land) Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Dick” on 2nd October 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia Staffordshire, England for life, transported aboard the “Competitor”18th March 1823, arriving in Tasmania ( Van Diemen’s Land) Australia aboard the ship “William Nicol” in 1840 Australia aboard the ship “William Nicol” in 1840  Steele migration to New Zealand+

            Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

            Steele Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

            • Mr. James Steele, Scottish settler from Aberdeen travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship “Storm Cloud” arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 27th April 1860 [14]
            • Mr. Samuel Steele, (b. 1839), aged 22, Irish ploughman, from Londonderry travelling from London aboard the ship “Sebastopol” arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th December 1861 ^[14]
            • Mr. George S. Steele, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship “Gertrude” arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 9th February 1863 ^[15]
            • George S. Steele, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship “Gertrude” in 1863
            • David Steele, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship “Andrew Jackson” in 1865

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            Contemporary Notables of the name Steele (post 1700)+

            • Robert David Steele (1952-2021), American CIA officer and conspiracy theorist who died of COVID-19 in Florida on August 30, 2021 at the age of 69 after claiming COVID-19 was a hoax since July 2021
            • William Mitchell “Bill” Steele (1885-1949), American Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1910 through 1914
            • William O. Steele (1917-1979), American author, best known for his book The Perilous Road, which won the Newbery Medal in 1959
            • William Randolph Steele (1842-1901), American politician, Delegate from the Territory of Wyoming (1873-1877)
            • Fletcher Steele (1859-1971), American landscape architect
            • Allen Mulherin Steele Jr. (b. 1958), award-winning American science fiction author
            • Michael Stephen Steele (b. 1958), first African American chairman of the Republican National Committee, Lt. Governor of the State of Maryland (2003-2007)
            • Christopher Steele (b. 1756), English portrait-painter, born at Egremont, Cumberland, about 1730
            • Anne Steele (1717-1778), English hymn-writer from Broughton, Hampshire, daughter of William Steele (1689–1769), timber merchant and lay baptist preacher
            • John Frederick Steele (b. 1946), former English first class cricketer for Leicestershire

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