Celt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
England

The Pictish clans of ancient Scotland were the ancestors of first people to use the name Celt. The name was found in the barony of Colt or Cult in Perthshire.

Early Origins of the Celt family

The surname Celt was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland.

One of the first records of the family was William Culte de Strathawen, Lanarkshire, who took the oath of fealty, 1296. Years later, John Colti held land in barony of Lastalryk before 1365 and Thomas Colt is mentioned in Perth, 1440. 1

Another source notes "the Colts of co. Lanark derive from Blaise Coult, a French Huguenot refugee in the XVI. century." 2

Further to the south in Yorkshire, the Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Ricardua Colte; and Thomas Colt. And much further south, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Reginald le Colt, Salop (Shropshire); William le Colt, Wiltshire; and Ranulph Colt, Norfolk. 3

Early History of the Celt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Celt research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1440, 1600, 1604, 1606, 1618 and 1835 are included under the topic Early Celt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Celt Spelling Variations

In the Middle ages, spelling and translation were not yet regulated by any general rules. spelling variations in names were common even among members of one family unit. Celt has appeared Coult, Colt, Cult, Culte, Colte, Coulte and others.

Early Notables of the Celt family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was Sir Robert Coult of Garthsherrie; and Samuel Colt of Hartford Conn. who invented the revolver in 1835. Maximilian Colt or Coult (fl. 1600-1618), was a sculptor, born at Arras in Flanders, and settled in England at the...
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Celt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Celt family

Faced by this persecution and the generally unstable political climate of those days, many Scots chose to leave their homeland for Ireland, Australia, and North America in search of greater opportunity and freedom. The colonies across the Atlantic were the most popular choice, but a passage there was neither cheap nor easily suffered. Passengers arrived sick and poor, but those who made it intact often found land and more tolerant societies in which to live. These brave settlers formed the backbone of the burgeoning nations of Canada and the United States. It is only this century that the ancestors of these families have begun to recover their collective identity through the patriotic highland games and Clan societies that have sprung up throughout North America. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Celt: George Colt who settled in Virginia in 1654; John Colt settled in Massachusetts in 1633; Richard Colt settled in Virginia in 1656; John Godfrey Colte arrived in Philadelphia in 1753.

The Celt 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: Transfigam
Motto Translation: I will transfix.

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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)