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An excerpt from www.HouseOfNames.com archives copyright © 2000 - 2012
Where did the English MacClay family come from? What is the English MacClay family crest and coat of arms? When did the MacClay family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the MacClay family history? When the ancestors of the MacClay family emigrated to England following the Norman Conquest in 1066 they brought their family name with them. They lived in Lincolnshire, where they held a family seat at Claye.Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name MacClay have been found, including Clay, Claye, Cley, Cleye, McClay and others. First found in Lincolnshire where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacClay research. Another 208 words(15 lines of text) covering the year 1086 is included under the topic Early MacClay History in all our PDF Extended History products. More information is included under the topic Early MacClay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products. Some of the MacClay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 129 words(9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products. For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name MacClay were among those contributors: Jonathon Clay who settled in Virginia in 1643; Jonas Clay settled in Wells and Cape Porpus in 1636; Steven Clay settled in Barbados with wife child and servants in 1680. 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 orbem Motto Translation: Through the world.
The MacClay Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The MacClay Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname. This page was last modified on 27 October 2010 at 13:27. ©2000-2012 Swyrich Corporation. See Terms of Use for details. houseofnames.com is an internet property owned by Swyrich Corporation. Tools
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