Claghirn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The first people to use the name Claghirn were a family of Strathclyde-Britons who lived in the Scottish/English Borderlands. The name comes from when someone lived in Cleghorn, Lanarkshire.

Early Origins of the Claghirn family

The surname Claghirn was first found in Lanarkshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig) a former county in the central Strathclyde region of Scotland, now divided into the Council Areas of North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and the City of Glasgow. Cleghorn in a small village north-east of the town of Lanark and is the ancient home to the family.

"The home of the Cleghorns is in the West of Scotland, but a group of families of the name flourished in the parish of Cramond for several generations, and Robert Cleghorn, farmer, at Saughton, near Edinburgh, was a friend of Robert Burns." 1

Early History of the Claghirn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Claghirn research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1541 is included under the topic Early Claghirn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Claghirn Spelling Variations

Surnames that evolved in Scotland in the Middle Ages often appear under many spelling variations. These are due to the practice of spelling according to sound in the era before dictionaries had standardized the English language. Claghirn has appeared as Claghorn, Cleghorn, Claghorne, Cleghorne, Gleghorn and many more.

Early Notables of the Claghirn family

More information is included under the topic Early Claghirn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Claghirn family

The North American colonies beckoned, with their ample land and opportunity as their freedom from the persecution suffered by so many Clan families back home. Many Scots even fought against England in the American War of Independence to gain this freedom. Recently, clan societies have allowed the ancestors of these brave Scottish settlers to rediscover their familial roots. Among them: James Claghorn who settled in New England in 1652; Robert Cleghorn settled in New England in 1771.

The Claghirn 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: Insperata floruit
Motto Translation: It has flourished beyond expectations

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)