Show ContentsHempsall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Hempsall was first used in the Scottish/English Borderlands by an ancient Scottish people called the Strathclyde-Britons. It was a name for someone who lived in Galston, in the county of Ayrshire. 1

Early Origins of the Hempsall family

The surname Hempsall was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, 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 Hempsall family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hempsall research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1630, 1689, 1704, 1716, 1718, 1741 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Hempsall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hempsall Spelling Variations

The many spelling variations in Medieval Scottish names result from the fact that scribes in that era spelled words according to sound. Translation too, was an undeveloped science, and many names were altered into complete obscurity. Over the years Hempsall has been spelled Hemphill, Hempill, Hempsill, Hempshall, Hemshall and many more.

Early Notables of the Hempsall family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Samuel Hemphill (d. 1741), Irish Presbyterian minister, a native of Ulster, and probably trained for the ministry in one of the Presbyterian academies in the north of Ireland. He appears to have entered at...
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hempsall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Hempsall family to Ireland

Some of the Hempsall family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 92 words (7 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 Hempsall family

To escape the uncertainties and discrimination faced in Scotland, many decided to head out for North America. Once they arrived, many Scots fought with relish in the American War of Independence; some went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Many ancestors of these Scots have recovered their lost national heritage in the 20th century through Clan organizations and Scottish historical societies. Among the settlers to North America were: John Hemphill settled in New Jersey in 1792; Samuel Hemphill settled in Philadelphia in 1734; Alexander, Charles, Daniel, David, Henry, Hugh, James, Joseph, Robert, Samuel and William Hemphill all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860..



The Hempsall 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: Constanter ac non timide
Motto Translation: With constancy, not timidity.


  1. 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)


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