Cartnay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The Picts were the ancient Scottish tribe where the ancestors of the Cartnay family lived. The name Cartnay comes from the Gaelic name Mac Cartaine, which is a variant of Mac Artain. This means son of Artan and is a diminutive of the old personal name Art.

Early Origins of the Cartnay family

The surname Cartnay was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Cartnay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cartnay research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1630, 1651, 1660, 1672, 1690, 1692, 1703, 1713, 1714, 1724, 1727, 1730, 1737, 1757, 1760, 1770, 1792, 1793, 1797 and 1806 are included under the topic Early Cartnay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cartnay Spelling Variations

Before the first dictionaries appeared in the last few hundred years, scribes spelled according to sound. spelling variations are common among Scottish names. Cartnay has been spelled MacArtney, MacCartney and others.

Early Notables of the Cartnay family

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cartnay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cartnay family to Ireland

Some of the Cartnay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 138 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cartnay family

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 Cartnay: Arthur MacCartney who settled in Virginia in 1736; James McCartney settled in Maryland in 1741; James McCartney settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1767.

The Cartnay 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: Stimulat sed ornat
Motto Translation: It stimulates, but it adorns.