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Origins Available: English, French, Scottish

Where did the Scottish Porter family come from? What is the Scottish coat of arms/family crest? When did the Porter family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the history of the family name?

The Porter family name was originally adopted from the original bearers' occupation. Porter was an occupational name for a gatekeeper or watchman deriving its origin from the Old French word "portier," meaning "doorman." In the royal castles, and in some monasteries, the office of Porter was usually hereditary, and lands and priveledges were usually connected to the position.

Spelling variations of this family name include: Porter, Pawter, Poreter, Portar and others.

First found in Kyle where Radulfus the porter witnessed the gift of the church of Cragyn (Craigie) to the monastery of Paisley in 1177.

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Roger Porter, who settled in New England in 1638; with his wife and four children; Robert Porter settled in the Barbados in 1676 with his two children.

For more information on the last name Porter, the PDF Surname History is available for purchase as well as other products.


Suggested Readings for the name Porter
  • Edward Culver, John Porter and Mary Estey: a Line of Descent from Two Puritans and a Salem Witch, with Allied Families by Marilyn V. Squires Mills.
  • A Family History, William Porter, Jr. of Rockbridge County, Virginia (1740-1804) by Mary E. Porter.

Some noteworthy people of the name Porter
  • David Porter (1780-1843), and his son David Dixon Porter (1813-1891), both American naval officers
  • Katherine Anne Porter (1894-1980), American Pulitzer Prize winning author
  • William Sydney Porter (1862-1910), American short story author, who wrote under the name O. Henry
  • Edwin Stanton Porter (1870-1941), American movie director and filmmaker
  • James Davis Porter (1828-1912), American politician and diplomat
  • Cole Porter (1893-1964), American composer of musicals
  • Sir George Porter (1920-2002), Baron Porter of Luddenham, British scientist, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1967
  • Rodney Robert Porter (1917-1985), British physiologist, who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1972
  • Peter Porter (b. 1929), Australian poet


Tell Me More About Family Crests


Family Crests: the Heraldic Artist


We have researched the Porter family crest in the most recognized sources. Before an artist or craftsman can render a family crest, it must exist. In other words the crest must have been designed and recorded by the heralds from time immemorial.

Heraldic designs matriculated by the lay-artist in many cases becomes uninspired, meretricious and even ugly...

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Family Crests: Timeline


Many of the symbols adopted into armory have been used since the time of the ancient Egyptians, but heraldry itself did not begin until the 11th century. In continental Europe, the most ancient recorded family crest was discovered upon the monumental effigy of a Count of Wasserburg in the church of St. Emeran, at Ratisobon, Germany...

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Family Crests: Elements


In the Porter coat of arms as in all coat of arms the crest is only one element of the full armorial achievement. Again the Family Crest is just part of the story of Coats of Arms or Heraldry. Heraldry is defined as the hereditary art or science of blazoning, the description is appropriate technical terms of Coats-of-Arms and other heraldic and armorial insignia, and is of very ancient origin...

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Family Crests and Genealogy: how they relate


We encourage you to study the Porter genealogy to find out if you descend from someone who bore a particular family crest. Anyone making a study of heraldry usually becomes interested in Genealogy or seeking legal claim to a particular family crest. No families, not even the royal houses, can make sound claim to the right to bear arms unless a proven connection is established through attested Genealogical records...

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Porter Family Crest Products


Anniversary products for the name Porter.
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Armorial histories for the name Porter.
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Coat of Arms for the name Porter.
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Family Crest for the name Porter.
Family Tree with a Porter family crest.
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Plaques and Frames displaying the Porter family crest.
Surname Histories for the name Porter.
Travel Mugs with a Porter coat of arms.
Popular Products
Armorial History With Coat of Arms
Coat of Arms & Surname History Package
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The Porter Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Porter 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.

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