Dundess History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The ancestral home of the Dundess family is in the Scottish-English border region where their ancestors lived among the clans of the Boernician tribe. They lived at the town of Dundas, near Edinburgh, Scotland. This place name is in turn derived from the Gaelic words dùn, meaning "a fort" and deas, meaning "south."

Early Origins of the Dundess family

The surname Dundess was first found in the region of Dundas in West Lothian. According to family lore, they descend through Helias, son of Uctred, who secured the lands of Dundas from Waldeve, son of Gospatrick, Earl of Northumberland, through a charter agreement during the reign of Malcom IV, king of Scots (1153-1165).

Some suggest that Uctred and Waldreve were in fact brothers, sons of Gospatrick. There is a record of Helias de Dundas witnessing a gift from Philip de Mubray to the monks of Dunfermline within the period 1202-1214. A saying made famous among respective Clan members is recorded as follows: "any prime minister can raise a man to the House of Lords, but it takes seven centuries of Scottish history to make a Dundas of Dundas."

Early History of the Dundess family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dundess research. Another 243 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1332, 1364, 1424, 1488, 1513, 1679, 1685, 1713, 1715, 1717, 1720, 1725, 1726, 1742, 1745, 1753, 1784, 1787, 1811 and 1875 are included under the topic Early Dundess History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dundess Spelling Variations

A lack of rules and the tendency of scribes to spell according to the sound of the word plagued medieval spelling. Not surprisingly, an enormous number of spelling variations appeared. Dundess has been written Dundys, Dundas, Dass, Dundases, Dundass, Dundess, Dundyss and many more.

Early Notables of the Dundess family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Sir Archibald Dundas, Sheriff of Linlithgow in 1488; and Sir James Dundas of Arniston, Midlothian, governor of Berwick under James I; and his son, Sir James Dundas, Lord Arniston (died 1679), a Scottish member of parliament, and judge; and his son, Robert Dundas...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dundess Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dundess family to Ireland

Some of the Dundess family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dundess family

Many Scots crossed the Atlantic for North America hoping to escape poverty, as well as persecution. Much of their heritage was lost along the way and overtime. This century, however, Clan societies and highland games have allowed many ancestral Scots to recover their birthright. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Dundess arrived in North America very early: William Dundas who settled in Virginia in 1679; James Dundas who settled in New England in 1752; John Dundass came to Pennsylvania in 1770; as well as Alexander, James, and John Dundas who all arrived in Philadelphia between 1800 and 1850..

The Dundess 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: Essayez
Motto Translation: Try.