Selkirk History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
England

A family of Strathclyde-Briton were the first to use the name Selkirk. They lived in the former royal burgh county town of Selkirk. 1 2 3 This place name was also known as Selechirche, Selechyrche, Selekirke and literally meant "the Palace-Church [Old English sele, a palace, hall + O.(N.)E. circe (= Old Norse kirkia), a church] The Scottish kings had a hunting residence at Selkirk." 4

Another source notes the name came from "Cellkirk, a religious house. A cell was anciently that part of a temple within the walls. Sel-carrik." 5

And another source claims a slightly different origin of the place name. "This place, which is of considerable antiquity, derives its name, in the Celtic tongue signifying "the Church in the forest," from the ancient state of the surrounding district, which was thickly covered with wood and appropriated as a royal chase. From its proximity to the border, it was frequently the scene of hostile incursions, and intricately involved in all the ferocious and sanguinary wars of the rival kingdoms, during the mutual efforts of their monarchs to obtain the ascendancy. In the 12th century it appears to have been regarded as a place of importance; and David I. founded near the site of the present town a monastery, which was, however, subsequently for greater security removed to Kelso.' 6

Early Origins of the Selkirk family

The surname Selkirk was first found in Selkirkshire (Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Shalcraig), where one of the first records of the family was Thomas de Selghkirk, who rendered homage to King Edward I of England at Berwick in 1291. Later, Hugh de Selkyrk was a burgess of Edinburgh in 1368 and in 1400 mention is made of a land there belonging to Peter de Selkirk (presumably his son.) 1

Early History of the Selkirk family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Selkirk research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1368, 1515, 1567, 1580, 1676, 1679, 1684, 1690, 1704, 1709, 1721 and 1731 are included under the topic Early Selkirk History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Selkirk Spelling Variations

In the era before dictionaries, there were no rules governing the spelling or translation of names or any other words. Consequently, there are an enormous number of spelling variations in Medieval Scottish names. Selkirk has appeared as Selkirk, Salkirk, Silkrige, Selkyrk, Selcraig and others.

Early Notables of the Selkirk family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Alexander Selkirk (1676-1721), prototype of 'Robinson Crusoe,' also known as Alexander Selcraig, a Scottish privateer and sailor, seventh son of John Selcraig, shoemaker, of Largo, Fifeshire. 7
In September 1704, Captain Stradling aboard Cinque Ports, dropped Selkirk off on the island of Juan Fernandez with a musket, a hatchet, a knife, a cooking pot, a Bible, bedding and some clothes after...
In February 1709, Selkirk's deliverance came by way of a privateering ship piloted by William Dampier

Selkirk migration to the United States +

The freedom, opportunity, and land of the North American colonies beckoned. There, Scots found a place where they were generally free from persecution and where they could go on to become important players in the birth of new nations. Some fought in the American War of Independence, while others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these Scottish settlers have been able to recover their lost national heritage in the last century through highland games and Clan societies in North America. Among them:

Selkirk Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

James Selkirk who settled in New York State in 1774

Selkirk Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

D Selkirk, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 8
James M Selkirk, who landed in Savanna(h), Georgia in 1854 8
James Selkirk, who arrived in Georgia in 1855 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Selkirk (post 1700) +

Neil Selkirk (b. 1947), English-born, American portrait photographer, known for his work for Esquire Magazine and the New York Times Magazine
George Alexander Selkirk (1908-1987), Canadian Major League Baseball outfielder and front office executive, made the American League All-Star team in 1936 and 1939
James Brown "J.B." Selkirk (1832-1904), Scottish poet and essayist
Andrew Selkirk, British Editor-in-chief of Current Publishing, Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and former Vice-President of the Royal Archaeological Institute
Jamie Selkirk, New Zealand Academy Award winning film editor and producer
John Selkirk (1782-1843), English songwriter from Tyneside
Robert Selkirk Bothwell (b. 1944), Canadian historian, Professor at the University of Toronto

The Selkirk 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: Jamais arriere
Motto Translation: Never behind.

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.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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)