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Cleghorn History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Cleghorn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The ancient Scottish name Cleghorn was first used by the Strathclyde-Briton people of the Scottish/English Borderlands. The original bearer of the name lived in Cleghorn, Lanarkshire.

Early Origins of the Cleghorn family

The surname Cleghorn was first found in Lanarkshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig) a former county in the central Strathclyde region of Scotland, now divided into the Council Areas of North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and the City of Glasgow. Cleghorn in a small village north-east of the town of Lanark and is the ancient home to the family.

"The home of the Cleghorns is in the West of Scotland, but a group of families of the name flourished in the parish of Cramond for several generations, and Robert Cleghorn, farmer, at Saughton, near Edinburgh, was a friend of Robert Burns." 1

Early History of the Cleghorn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cleghorn research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1541 is included under the topic Early Cleghorn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cleghorn Spelling Variations

The many spelling variations in Medieval Scottish names result from the fact that scribes in that era spelled words according to sound. Translation too, was an undeveloped science, and many names were altered into complete obscurity. Over the years Cleghorn has been spelled Claghorn, Cleghorn, Claghorne, Cleghorne, Gleghorn and many more.

Early Notables of the Cleghorn family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Robert Cleghorn of Saughton

Cleghorn Ranking

In the United States, the name Cleghorn is the 7,347^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 2

Cleghorn migration to the United States +

To escape the uncertainties and discrimination faced in Scotland, many decided to head out for North America. Once they arrived, many Scots fought with relish in the American War of Independence; some went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Many ancestors of these Scots have recovered their lost national heritage in the 20th century through Clan organizations and Scottish historical societies. Among the settlers to North America were:

Cleghorn Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

James Cleghorn, who landed in Massachusetts in 1651 3

Cleghorn Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Robert Cleghorn, who settled in New England in 1771

Cleghorn migration to Australia +

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

Cleghorn Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Cleghorn, British convict who was convicted in Durham, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Henry Tanner" on 27th June 1834, settling in New South Wales, Australia 4
Walter Cleghorn, aged 19, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Catherine" 5
Richard Cleghorn, aged 29, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Catherine" 5
Walter Cleghorn, aged 19, a labourer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Catherine" in 1851 5
Richard Cleghorn, aged 29, a labourer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Catherine" in 1851 5

Cleghorn 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:

Cleghorn Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Archibald Cleghorn, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Jane" in 1841 6
Ellen Cleghorn, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Jane" in 1841 6
Jeanette Cleghorn, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Jane" in 1841 6
Jessy Cleghorn, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Jane" in 1841 6
Thomas Cleghorn, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1843
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Cleghorn (post 1700) +

James Cleghorn (1778-1836), Scottish actuary, a native of Dunse, where he was born in 1778 7
George Cleghorn (1716-1789), Scottish physician, born at Granton, near Edinburgh, on 18 Dec. 1716, the youngest of five children 7
William Cleghorn (1718-1754), Scottish philosopher
Hugh Francis Clarke Cleghorn of Stravithie FRSEFLS (1820-1895), Scottish physician, botanist and forester who worked in India, known as "the father of scientific forestry in India"
Archibald Scott Cleghorn (1835-1910), Scottish businessman who married into the royal family of the Kingdom of Hawaii, father of the heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii
Robert Clive Cleghorn (1937-2021), South African radio, film, television and theatre actor and director best known for his performances in the TV soap operas, The Villagers and Isidingo
Victoria Kaiulani Kalaninuiahilapalapa Kawekiu i Lunalilo Cleghorn (1875-1899), heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii, daughter of Archibald Cleghorn
Robert Harold Cleghorn (1912-1996), New Zealand gold and bronze medalist weightlifting competitor
John Edward Cleghorn (b. 1941), Canadian businessman, Chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University (1996-2003), Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Bank of Canada 1994-2001
James Ogilvie "Odie" Cleghorn (1891-1956), Canadian NHL hockey player
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Cleghorn 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: Insperata floruit
Motto Translation: It has flourished beyond expectations

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/henry-tanner
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CATHERINE 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Catherine.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020