Show ContentsHackley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Picts were the ancient Scottish tribe where the ancestors of the Hackley family lived. The name Hackley comes from the Gaelic names Mac Adhamh or Mac Edhamh, which both mean son of Adam.

Early Origins of the Hackley family

The surname Hackley was first found in Inverness, 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 Hackley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hackley research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1567, 1642 and 1670 are included under the topic Early Hackley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hackley Spelling Variations

Before the first dictionaries appeared in the last few hundred years, scribes spelled according to sound. spelling variations are common among Scottish names. Hackley has been spelled Heggie, MacHeggie, MacCagy, MacKeggie, Higgie and others.

Early Notables of the Hackley family

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


United States Hackley migration to the United States +

In those unstable times, many had no choice but to leave their beloved homelands. Sickness and poverty hounded travelers to North America, but those who made it were welcomed with land and opportunity. These settlers gave the young nations of Canada and the United States a strong backbone as they stood up for their beliefs as United Empire Loyalists and in the American War of Independence. In this century, the ancestors of these brave Scots have begun to recover their illustrious heritage through Clan societies and other heritage organizations. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Scottish settlers bearing the name Hackley:

Hackley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Jon Hackley, who arrived in Virginia in 1638 1
  • Jane Hackley, who landed in Virginia in 1652 1
  • Richard Hackley, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 1

Canada Hackley migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hackley Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Joshua Hackley, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750


The Hackley 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: Touch Not The Cat Bot A Glove
Motto Translation: Don't touch the cat without a glove.


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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