Show ContentsBeckey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

In Scottish history, few names go farther back than Beckey, whose ancestors lived among the clans of the Pictish tribe. They lived in the county of Angus at the old manor of Baike.

Early Origins of the Beckey family

The surname Beckey was first found in Angus (Gaelic: Aonghas), part of the Tayside region of northeastern Scotland, and present day Council Area of Angus, formerly known as Forfar or Forfarshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times as Lords of the manor of Baikie. However, by the 14th century this family appears to have moved north to the Orkneys where they became a prominent family.

Early History of the Beckey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beckey research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1600, 1697 and 1952 are included under the topic Early Beckey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beckey Spelling Variations

The arts of spelling and translation were yet in their infancies when surnames began, so there are an enormous number of spelling variations of the names in early Scottish records. This is a particular problem with Scottish names because of the numerous times a name might have been loosely translated to English from Gaelic and back. Beckey has been spelled Backie, Baikie, Bakey, Baikey, Baky, Baickie and others.

Early Notables of the Beckey family

More information is included under the topic Early Beckey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Beckey family

This oppression forced many Scots to leave their homelands. Most of these chose North America as their destination. Although the journey left many sick and poor, these immigrants were welcomed the hardy with great opportunity. Many of these settlers stood up for their newfound freedom in the American War of Independence. More recently, Scots abroad have recovered much of their collective heritage through highland games and other patriotic functions and groups. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has located various settlers bearing the name Beckey: Lennard Baickie who landed in America in 1712.


Contemporary Notables of the name Beckey (post 1700) +

  • Friedrich Wolfgang "Fred" Beckey (1923-2017), American rock climber, mountaineer and author who made hundreds of first ascents, more than any other North American climber
  • Viola P. Beckey, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1952 1


The Beckey Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Commodum non damnum
Motto Translation: A convenience not an injury.


  1. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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