Clegghurn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The age-old Scottish surname Clegghurn was first used by the Strathclyde-Briton people. The Clegghurn family lived in Cleghorn, Lanarkshire.

Early Origins of the Clegghurn family

The surname Clegghurn 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 Clegghurn family

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

Clegghurn Spelling Variations

In Medieval times, spelling and translation were not nearly so highly developed as today. They were generally carried out according to the sound and intuition of the bearer. For that reason spelling variations are extremely common among early Scottish names. Clegghurn has been spelled Claghorn, Cleghorn, Claghorne, Cleghorne, Gleghorn and many more.

Early Notables of the Clegghurn family

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

Migration of the Clegghurn family

Unrest, poverty, and persecution caused thousands to look for opportunity and freedom in the North American colonies. The crossing was long, overcrowded, and unsanitary, though, and came only at great expense. Many Strathclyde families settled on the east coast of North America in communities that would form the backbone of what would become the great nations of the United States and Canada. The American War of Independence caused those who remained loyal to England to move north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the 20th century, Strathclyde and other Scottish families across North America began to recover their collective heritage through highland games and Clan societies. Among them: James Claghorn who settled in New England in 1652; Robert Cleghorn settled in New England in 1771.

The Clegghurn 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)