Show ContentsClum History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

On the western coast of Scotland and on the Hebrides islands the Clum family was born among the ancient Dalriadan clans. Their 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 Clum family

The surname Clum 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 Clum family

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

Clum Spelling Variations

In various documents Clum has been spelled Since medieval scribes still spelled according to sound, records from that era contain an enormous number of spelling variations. Callum, MacColum, MacCallum, Colum, Callam, Callem, Calam and many more.

Early Notables of the Clum family

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

Ireland Migration of the Clum family to Ireland

Some of the Clum 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.

Migration of the Clum family

Dalriadan families proliferated in North America. Their descendants still populate many communities in the eastern parts of both the United States and Canada. Some settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists, in the wake of the American War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border have recovered much of their heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and highland games. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Clum or a variant listed above: Patrick Callum who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1868.


Contemporary Notables of the name Clum (post 1700) +

  • John Philip Clum (1851-1932), American Indian agent for the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in the Arizona Territory
  • Philip P. Clum, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Columbia County, 1821-22 [1]
  • Harold Dunstan Clum (b. 1879), American politician, U.S. Consul General in Guayaquil, 1930-33; Bucharest, 1933-35; Callao-Lima, 1935; Rotterdam, 1938 [1]
  • Franklin P. Clum, American politician, Mayor of Saugerties, New York, 1947 [1]


The Clum 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. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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