Show ContentsDawglas History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the Dawglas family were part of an ancient Scottish tribe called the Picts. They lived in Moray, where the family has a long and distinguished history dating back to early times. Some claim the name is derived from a knight of 770 who after aiding King Solvathius of Scotland in his great battle with Donald Bain, King of the Western Isles was granted the lands of Clydesdale. Others claim the name was originally derived from Theobaldus, a Flemming and were granted the lands of Douglas Water. In Gaelic, the name is Dudhglas means "black stream."

Early Origins of the Dawglas family

The surname Dawglas was first found in Moray, where the progenitor of the Clan is thought to be Archibald of Douglasdale (1198-1239). The Douglasses of Drumlanrig claim descent from Sir William Douglas, who was granted the lands of Drumlanrig in 1412 by King James I.

The grandson of Archibald Douglasdale, known as William the Hardy, served as a companion-in-arms to William Wallace, the patriot leader of the Scottish wars of Independence. His two sons carried on his noble reputation. The first, William, was the progenitor of the Douglases of Morton and was granted the Earldom of Morton in 1458 by King James II. The second, Andrew, and his family became known as the Black Douglases. 1

Early History of the Dawglas family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dawglas research. Another 232 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1174, 1220, 1243, 1274, 1298, 1328, 1360, 1380, 1400, 1402, 1403, 1404, 1408, 1540, 1594, 1595, 1611, 1662, 1674 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Dawglas History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dawglas Spelling Variations

Prior to the invention of the printing press in the last hundred years, documents were basically unique. Names were written according to sound, and often appeared differently each time they were recorded. Spelling variations of the name Dawglas include Douglas, Douglass, Dougliss, Dougless, Dowglas, Duglas, Duglass and many more.

Early Notables of the Dawglas family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was Archibald Douglas, (1328-1400), 3rd Earl of Douglas, Earl of Wigtown, Lord of Douglas, Lord of Bothwell and Lord of Galloway, a late medieval Scottish magnate; George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus (1380-1403), mediaeval Scottish nobleman; Isabel Douglas, Countess of Mar (c. 1360-1408), inherited most of brothers property, excluding only the Douglas lands which could only pass through the male line, she became the most sought after bride in the realm and soon was married to Sir Malcolm Drummond, marriage however failed to produce any children and the Countess soon became the focus of...
Another 354 words (25 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dawglas Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Dawglas family to Ireland

Some of the Dawglas 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 Dawglas family

The freedom of the North American colonies was enticing, and many Scots left to make the great crossing. It was a long and hard journey, but its reward was a place where there was more land than people and tolerance was far easier to come by. Many of these people came together to fight for a new nation in the American War of Independence, while others remained loyal to the old order as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of Scots in North America have recovered much of this heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and other such organizations. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important and early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Dawglas: Charles Douglas who settled in New Jersey in 1685; Hugh Douglas settled in Virginia in 1635; John Douglas settled in Virginia in 1655; Lee William Douglas settled in Virginia in 1655.



The Dawglas 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: Jamais arriere
Motto Translation: Never behind.


  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


Houseofnames.com on Facebook