Ronald History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe Ronald family comes from the ancient Scottish Dalriadan clans of the mountainous west coast of Scotland. The name Ronald is derived from the Anglicized version of the Gaelic personal name Mac Dhomhnuill. Ronald is a patronymic surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. The surname Ronald arose from the vernacular naming tradition, whereby surnames were formed by adopting the given name of one's father, or another ancestor. This name was first found in Kintyre, where members of this family had resided for many years. Most historians note the name claims descent through the High Kings of Ireland, namely Colla Uais and Conn of the Hundred Battles. Movement between Scotland and Ireland was very frequent over the centuries. 1 Early Origins of the Ronald familyThe surname Ronald was first found in Kintyre, and much of the Eastern islands and coast-lands where members of this Clan, descended through Somerled, Lord of the Isles and had resided for many years. Early History of the Ronald familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ronald research. Another 300 words (21 lines of text) covering the years 1329, 1335, 1336, 1341, 1342, 1386, 1415, 1420, 1424, 1449, 1456, 1498, 1603, 1692 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Ronald History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Ronald Spelling VariationsSpelling variations were extremely common in medieval names, since scribes from that era recorded names according to sound rather than a standard set of rules. Ronald has appeared in various documents spelled MacDonald, Macdonald, McDonald, Donaldson, MacDonny and many more. Early Notables of the Ronald familyNotable amongst the Clan from early times was John of Islay, or John MacDonald, (d. 1386), the first Lord of the Isles (1336-1386) and chief of Clan Donald. He was he was the son of Angus Og Macdonald, who died at Isla about 1329, and was buried at Icolmkill. The Macdonalds trace their descent from Donald, elder son of Refinald, second son of Sommerled of Argyll, king of the Isles. On account of a dispute with the regent regarding certain lands, John of Isla joined the party of Edward Baliol, to whom, in consideration of a grant of the lands of... Ronald RankingIn the United States, the name Ronald is the 16,750th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2 Migration of the Ronald family to IrelandSome of the Ronald family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
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 Ronald or a variant listed above: Ronald Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Ronald Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
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: Ronald Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
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: Per mare per terras Motto Translation: By sea and by land.
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