First found in Perthshire, where they were seated from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Faced by this persecution and the generally unstable political climate of those days, many Scots chose to leave their homeland for Ireland, Australia, and North America in search of greater opportunity and freedom. The colonies across the Atlantic were the most popular choice, but a passage there was neither cheap nor easily suffered. Passengers arrived sick and poor, but those who made it intact often found land and more tolerant societies in which to live. These brave settlers formed the backbone of the burgeoning nations of Canada and the United States. It is only this century that the ancestors of these families have begun to recover their collective identity through the patriotic highland games and clan societies that have sprung up throughout North America. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Hay: Daniel Hay who settled in Maine in 1606; 14 years before the "Mayflower"; Arthur Hay settled in Virginia in 1663; Elizabeth Hay settled in Virginia in 1654.

Motto Translated: Keep the yoke.

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