Contents [hide]

McDougall History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

McDougall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The many centuries old Dalriadan-Scottish name McDougall comes from the personal name Dougal. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Dhughaill and literally means son of Dougal.

Early Origins of the McDougall family

The surname McDougall was first found in Galloway (Gaelic: Gall-ghaidhealaibh), an area of southwestern Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway, that formerly consisted of the counties of Wigtown (West Galloway) and Kirkcudbright (East Galloway), where they were descended from Dugall eldest son of Somerled, first Lord of the Isles, and his son Duncan who received the lands of Lorn. The Clan was a bitter foe of Robert the Bruce, who made a narrow escape during one battle with the MacDougals only by discarding his cloak. The brooch of this cloak, now known as the Brooch of Lorn, is a treasured possession of the Chief of the Clan. The Clan faced heavy retaliation and was stripped of their lands once Robert the Bruce secured the Scottish throne. The lands were restored to the Clan upon the death of the king, but passed to the Stewarts in 1388 when the last member of the senior branch of MacDougals died without issue.

Early History of the McDougall family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McDougall research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1175, 1244 and 1316 are included under the topic Early McDougall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McDougall Spelling Variations

Spelling and translation were not standardized practices until the last few centuries. Spelling variations are extremely common among early Scottish names. McDougall has been spelled MacDougall, MacDowall, MacDowell, MacDugald, MacDill and many more.

Early Notables of the McDougall family

Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McDougall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McDougall World Ranking

In the United States, the name McDougall is the 4,643^rd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name McDougall is ranked the 602^nd most popular surname with an estimated 8,388 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name McDougall is the 594^th popular surname with an estimated 6,573 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks McDougall as 686^th with 1,037 people. 4

Migration of the McDougall family to Ireland

Some of the McDougall family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McDougall migration to the United States +

Many who arrived from Scotland settled along the east coast of North America in communities that would go on to become the backbones of the young nations of the United States and Canada. In the American War of Independence, many settlers who remained loyal to England went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Their descendants later began to recover the lost Scottish heritage through events such as the highland games that dot North America in the summer months. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the McDougall family emigrate to North America:

McDougall Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Duncan McDougall, who landed in New Jersey in 1685 5

McDougall Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mary McDougall, who landed in New York in 1738 5
Allan McDougall, who landed in New York in 1738 5
Anna McDougall, who landed in New York in 1738 5
Archibald McDougall, who landed in New York in 1738 5
Ranald McDougall, who arrived in New York in 1738 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McDougall Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Peter McDougall, who landed in New York in 1806 5
Maria McDougall, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1810 5
James McDougall, aged 31, who landed in New York in 1812 5
Allen McDougall, aged 29, who arrived in New York in 1812 5
Col. McDougall, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McDougall migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McDougall Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Johnn McDougall U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 6
Capt. Alexander McDougall U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 6
Mr. John McDougall U.E. who settled in Digby, Digby County, Nova Scotia c. 1784, then York, Home District in 1793 member of the Wagon Department, married to Sarah having 8 children 6
John McDougall, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1797

McDougall Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Peter McDougall, aged 34, a shoemaker, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
Catherine McDougall, aged 30, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
Catharine McDougall, aged 7, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
John McDougall, aged 2 1/2, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
Alexander McDougall, aged 8mo, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Dorothy" in 1815
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McDougall migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

McDougall Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John McDougall, Scottish convict from Dumfries, who was transported aboard the "Agamemnon" on April 22, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 7
Mr. Alexander McDougall, Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Countess of Harcourt" on 29th April 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Mr. Dugald McDougall, British Convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for life, transported aboard the "Asia" on 5th November 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land)1836 9
Miss Agnes Mcdougall, Scottish Convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atwick" on 28 September 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
Miss Christian McDougall, (Rae, Margaret), Scottish Convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atwick" on 28 September 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McDougall migration to New Zealand +

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:

McDougall Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Jessie Mcdougall, (b. 1838), aged 24, British general servant travelling from London aboard the ship "Echunga" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 24th December 1862 11
Mr. John Mcdougall, (b. 1839), aged 23, Scottish ploughman, from Perthshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 12
Mr. William Mcdougall, (b. 1840), aged 22, Scottish ploughman, from Perthshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 12
Mrs. McDougall, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 8th December 1862 12
Miss Agnes McDougall, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 8th December 1862 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name McDougall (post 1700) +

Frances Harriet Whipple Green McDougall (1805-1878), American abolitionist, poet, novelist, editor, botanist, spiritualist medium
Marshall James McDougall (b. 1978), American former Major League Baseball third baseman
John McDougall (1818-1866), American politician, 2nd Governor of the State of California (1851-1852)
James A McDougall (1817-1867), American politician from California
Douglas Francis McDougall (1958-2023), Scottish professional footballer who played as a striker for Clydebank, St Mirren and Aberdeen in the 1970s and 1980s
Gordon Sholto McDougall (1916-1991), Scottish-born, Australian-based theatre and television actor
John Leishman McDougall VC (1840-1869), Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross for his actions on 21 August 1860 at the Taku Forts, China
William McDougall (1871-1938), English-born, American psychologist
Francine McDougall, Australian Sundance Film Festival Award winning film director, film producer, photographer, television director, television producer and screenwriter
Duncan McDougall (b. 1959), British Olympic silver medalist rower
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the McDougall family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. Duncan McDougall, British Seaman from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 13

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. Wallace McDougall (1918-1941), Australian Able Seaman from Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 14

The McDougall 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: Buaidh no bàs
Motto Translation: Victory or death

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Agamemnon voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1820 with 179 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/agamemnon/1820
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th April 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/countess-of-harcourt
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1835
Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 23rd August 2020 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atwick
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp