Gaunce History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The age-old Hebrides islands and the west coast of Scotland are the ancestral home of the Gaunce family. Their name comes from the personal name Naos, which is a dialectal form of Aonghus or Angus. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Neis, which is derived from the earlier form Mac Naois; both of these mean son of Angus. Thus, the name Gaunce is a cognate of MacAngus and MacInnes.

Early Origins of the Gaunce family

The surname Gaunce was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Gaunce family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gaunce research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1522 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Gaunce History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gaunce Spelling Variations

Medieval spelling was at best an intuitive process, and translation between Gaelic and English was no more effective. These factors caused an enormous number of spelling variations in Dalriadan names. In fact, it was not uncommon to see a father and son who spelled their name differently. Over the years, Gaunce has been spelled MacNeish, MacNeice, MacNish, MacNess, MacKness, MacNeece and many more.

Early Notables of the Gaunce family

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

Migration of the Gaunce family to Ireland

Some of the Gaunce family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 67 words (5 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 Gaunce family

Scottish settlers arrived in many of the communities that became the backbones of the United States and Canada. Many stayed, but some headed west for the endless open country of the prairies. In the American War of Independence, many Scots who remained loyal to England re-settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots across North America were able to recover much of their lost heritage in the 20th century as Clan societies and highland games sprang up across North America. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Gaunces to arrive on North American shores: Thomas McNeish, who settled in Philadelphia in 1868; Michael McNish settled in Philadelphia in 1866.

Contemporary Notables of the name Gaunce (post 1700) +

Cameron Gaunce (b. 1990), Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman
Brendan Gaunce (b. 1994), Canadian two-time gold medalist professional ice hockey forward

The Gaunce 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: Animo non astutia
Motto Translation: By courage, not by craft.