Cattau History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Among the the peoples of ancient Scotland, the first to use the name Cattau were the Strathclyde-Britons. Cattau was a name for someone who lived in Norfolk, England; or the name may also be from Chetel, an Old Norse and Old English given name.

Early Origins of the Cattau family

The surname Cattau was first found in Aberdeenshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen, located in the Grampian region of northeastern Scotland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Early History of the Cattau family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cattau research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1403, 1597 and 1633 are included under the topic Early Cattau History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cattau Spelling Variations

Medieval Scottish names are rife with spelling variations. This is due to the fact that scribes in that era spelled according to the sound of words, rather than any set of rules. Cattau has been spelled Catto, Cattoch, Cattow, Kitto, Citto, Chatto, Chattoch, Chetto, Cato and many more.

Early Notables of the Cattau family

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

Migration of the Cattau family

Many Scots were left with few options other than to leave their homeland for the colonies across the Atlantic. Some of these families fought to defend their newfound freedom in the American War of Independence. Others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these families have recently been able to rediscover their roots through Clan societies and other Scottish organizations. Among them: James Catto who settled in Maryland in 1775; John Catto arrived in Philadelphia in 1754; William Catto arrived in Nevis in 1775.

The Cattau 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: Omnibus amicus
Motto Translation: A friend to everyone.