Cowlam History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The Clan from whom the Cowlam family descends began among the ancient Dalriadan kingdom of the west coast of Scotland. Their name comes from the Scottish name MacCallum, which means "the son of the gillie of Callum." However, the full form of the name was used until the 17th century. The Callums were an import branch of the clan McLeod of Raasay.

Early Origins of the Cowlam family

The surname Cowlam was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where they held a family seat from very early times.

Early History of the Cowlam family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cowlam research. Another 126 words (9 lines of text) covering the year 1636 is included under the topic Early Cowlam History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cowlam Spelling Variations

Historical recordings of the name Cowlam include many spelling variations. They are the result of repeated translations of the name from Gaelic to English and inconsistencies in spelling rules. They include Callum, MacColum, MacCallum, Colum, Callam, Callem, Calam and many more.

Early Notables of the Cowlam family

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

Migration of the Cowlam family to Ireland

Some of the Cowlam family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 32 words (2 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 Cowlam family

Significant portions of the populations of both the United States and Canada are still made up of the ancestors of Dalriadan families. Some of those in Canada originally settled the United States, but went north as United Empire Loyalists in the American War of Independence. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the ancestors of many Scots on both sides of the border begin to recover their collective national heritage through Clan societies and highland games. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Patrick Callum who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1868.

The Cowlam 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: In ardua tendit
Motto Translation: He reaches towards things difficult of attainment.