First found in Caithness. This family was strongly associated with the Clan Ross. It was originally known as the Clan Siol Andrea, meaning the race of Andrew. However, from about the year 1100 the Andrews moved south to the Dumfriesshire area of southwest Scotland. Duncan Andrew, Chief of the clan, rendered homage to King Edward I of England in 1296.

In those unstable times, many had no choice but to leave their beloved homelands. Sickness and poverty hounded travelers to North America, but those who made it were welcomed with land and opportunity. These settlers gave the young nations of Canada and the United States a strong backbone as they stood up for their beliefs as United Empire Loyalists and in the American War of Independence. In this century, the ancestors of these brave Scots have begun to recover their illustrious heritage through clan societies and other heritage organizations. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Scottish settlers bearing the name Andrews: Ralph Andrew, son of Thomas Andrew of Carlisle, who landed in America in 1664; John Andrew, son of Sir John Andrew of Charlton, landed in 1650; William Andrew settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a ships captain who settled in 1634.

Motto Translated: Wisdom is the conqueror of fortune.

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