Contents [hide]

Kilmartin History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Kilmartin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

The original Gaelic form of Kilmartin was Mac Giolla Mhartain. This name denotes a devotee of St. Martin. This saint founded the first monastery in France c. 360 and was made Bishop of Tours in 372. He is the patron saint of publicans and inn-keepers and is also a patron saint of France.

Early Origins of the Kilmartin family

The surname Kilmartin was first found in County Galway (Irish: Gaillimh) part of the province of Connacht, located on the west coast of the Island, where they had been granted lands by Strongbow after the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1172, and became one of the "Tribes of Galway." Kilmartin is a small village in Argyll and Bute, in western Scotland. It is best known as the center of Kilmartin Glen, one of the best examples of standing stones in Scotland. Kilmartin Castle, a small tower house, dating from about 1580, stands above the village and was the property of the Campbells.

Early History of the Kilmartin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kilmartin research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1600, 1648, 1652 and 1722 are included under the topic Early Kilmartin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kilmartin Spelling Variations

Just like the English language, the Gaelic language of Ireland was not standardized in the Middle Ages. Therefore, one's name was often recorded under several different spellings during the life of its bearer. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origins of the Kilmartin family name include Gilmartin, Kilmartin, MacKilmartin, MacGilmartin and many more.

Early Notables of the Kilmartin family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kilmartin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kilmartin migration to the United States +

Irish families left their homeland in astonishing numbers during the 19th century in search of a better life. Although individual reasons vary, most of these Irish families suffered from extreme poverty, lack of work opportunities, and exorbitant rents in their homeland. Many decided to travel to Australia or North America in the hopes of finding greater opportunities and land. The Irish immigrants that came to North America initially settled on the East Coast, often in major centers such as Boston or New York. But like the many other cultures to settle in North America, the Irish traveled to almost any region they felt held greater promise; as a result, many Irish with gold fever moved all the way out to the Pacific coast. Others before that time left for land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula, or the Maritimes as United Empire Loyalists, for many Irish did choose to side with the English during the American War of Independence. The earliest wave of Irish migration, however, occurred during the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists has revealed many people bearing the Kilmartin name:

Kilmartin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Charles Kilmartin, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 1
Hugh Kilmartin, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 1
John Kilmartin, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 1
Mary Kilmartin, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 1
Patrick Kilmartin, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Kilmartin migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kilmartin Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Ms. Margaret Kilmartin, aged 21 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "John Munn" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 2
Miss. Mary Kilmartin, aged 19 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Numa" departing from the port of Sligo, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 2
Mr. Michael Kilmartin, aged 8 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Numa" departing from the port of Sligo, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 2
Mr. Patrick Kilmartin, aged 16 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Numa" departing from the port of Sligo, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 2
Miss. Bridget Kilmartin, aged 6 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "John Francis" departing 10th April 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 10th June 1847 but she died on board 3

Kilmartin migration to Australia +

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

Kilmartin Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mrs. Bridget Kilmartin, (b. 1812), aged 24, English dairy maid who was convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire, England for 7 years for robbery, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 20th June 1836, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1885 4
Miss Kilmartin, English settler traveling with convict mother Mrs. Bridget Kilmartin, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 20th June 1836, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
Mr. James Kilmartin, English convict who was convicted in Manchester, Greater Manchester, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 27th August 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 5
Michael Kilmartin, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Surge" 6
Patrick Kilmartin, aged 24, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Sultana" 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Kilmartin (post 1700) +

John Francis "Jack" Kilmartin Jr. (1921-2004), chief executive officer of Mervyn’s Department Stores
Gerald "Gerry" Walsh Kilmartin (1927-1970), American Olympic silver medalist ice hockey player
Peter F. Kilmartin (b. 1962), American attorney, Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives
William A. Kilmartin, American politician, Mayor of Torrington, Connecticut, 1947-49 8
Peter F. Kilmartin, American Democratic Party politician, Elected Rhode Island State House of Representatives 61st District 2002 8
Edward J. Kilmartin, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1944 8
Andrew Kilmartin (b. 1983), Irish semi-professional footballer
Pamela M Kilmartin, New Zealand astronomer, who has helped discover over forty asteroids

The Kilmartin 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: Auxilium meum a domino
Motto Translation: My help is from the Lord.

Citations +

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)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 38)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 83)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SURGE 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/surge1852.shtml
South Australian Register Saturday 4th February 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Sultana 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/sultana1854.shtml
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html