Cult History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
England

The chronicles of the Cult family reach back into Scottish history to an ancient tribe known as the Picts. The ancestors of the Cult family lived in the barony of Colt or Cult in Perthshire.

Early Origins of the Cult family

The surname Cult 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 Cult family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cult 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 Cult History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cult Spelling Variations

When the first dictionaries were invented in the last few hundred years, spelling gradually became standardized. Before that time, scribes spelled according to sound. Names were often recorded under different spelling variations every time they were written. Cult has been written Coult, Colt, Cult, Culte, Colte, Coulte and others.

Early Notables of the Cult 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 Cult Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cult family

The crossing to North America did not seem so great in comparison with the hardships many Scots endured at home. It was long, expensive, and cramped, but also rewarding. North America offered land and the chance for settlers to prove themselves in a new place. And many did prove themselves as they fought to forge a new nation in the American War of Independence. The ancestors of those Scots can now experience much of their once-lost heritage through the Clan societies and highland games that have sprung up across North America in the last century. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important, early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Cult: 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 Cult 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)