Show ContentsCalame History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Calame comes from the ancient Dalriadan clans of Scotland's west coast and Hebrides islands. The name comes from the Scottish name MacCallum, which means "the son of the gillie of Callum." However, the full form of the name was used until the 17th century. The Callums were an import branch of the Clan McLeod of Raasay.

Early Origins of the Calame family

The surname Calame was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where they held a family seat from very early times.

Early History of the Calame family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Calame research. Another 126 words (9 lines of text) covering the year 1636 is included under the topic Early Calame History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Calame Spelling Variations

The translation of Gaelic names in the Middle Ages was not a task undertaken with great care. Records from that era show an enormous number of spelling variations, even in names referring to the same person. Over the years Calame has appeared as Callum, MacColum, MacCallum, Colum, Callam, Callem, Calam and many more.

Early Notables of the Calame family

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

Ireland Migration of the Calame family to Ireland

Some of the Calame family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Calame migration to the United States +

Many of the ancestors of Dalriadan families who arrived in North America still live in communities along the east coast of Canada and the United States. In the American War of Independence many of the original settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the ancestors of many Scots began recovering their collective national heritage through Clan societies, highland games, and other patriotic events. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Calame or a variant listed above:

Calame Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jacob Calame, aged 56, who landed in South Carolina in 1732 [1]
Calame Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Charles Calame, aged 21, who arrived in New York in 1849 [1]

Canada Calame migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Calame Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Abraham Calame, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
  • Catharine Calame, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1757
  • Jaque Calame, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1757

West Indies Calame migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [2]
Calame Settlers in West Indies in the 18th Century
  • Peter Fredrick Calame, who arrived in Jamaica in 1744 [1]


The Calame 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: In ardua tendit
Motto Translation: He reaches towards things difficult of attainment.


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies


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