Cleelen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Cleelen was first used as a surname in the Scottish/English Borderlands by the Strathclyde-Briton. The first Cleelen family lived in Clelland, near Motherwell, Lanarkshire.

Early Origins of the Cleelen family

The surname Cleelen 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, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Cleelen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cleelen research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1661, 1674, 1689, 1709, 1723, 1741, 1789 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Cleelen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cleelen Spelling Variations

Medieval Scottish names are rife with spelling variations. This is due to the fact that scribes in that era spelled according to the sound of words, rather than any set of rules. Cleelen has been spelled Clelland, Cleland, Cleeland and others.

Early Notables of the Cleelen family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Thomas Cleland, gamekeeper to the Marquess of Douglas; and his son, William Cleland (ca.1661-1689), a Scottish poet and soldier. William Cleland (1674?-1741), was a "friend of Pope, of Scotch birth. He studied at Utrecht, served in Spain under...
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cleelen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cleelen family to Ireland

Some of the Cleelen family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 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 Cleelen family

Many Scots were left with few options other than to leave their homeland for the colonies across the Atlantic. Some of these families fought to defend their newfound freedom in the American War of Independence. Others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these families have recently been able to rediscover their roots through Clan societies and other Scottish organizations. Among them: George, and James Cleland, who arrived in Baltimore in 1804; Charles Cleland settled in Boston in 1820; John and Samuel arrived in New York State in 1811..

The Cleelen 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: Non sibi
Motto Translation: Not for himself.