Show ContentsKachel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The age-old Hebrides islands and the west coast of Scotland are the ancestral home of the Kachel family. Their name comes from an ancient Norse warrior name Askell, which means cauldron of the Gods and denoted son of Asgaill.

Early Origins of the Kachel family

The surname Kachel was first found in living on the Islands of Skye and of Lewis (Scottish Gaelic: Leòdhas), where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects. On Skye, ancestors of the Kachel Clan occupied the district of "Rubha an Dunain, " where the ruins of the family residence may seen to this day.

Early History of the Kachel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kachel research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1795 and 1863 are included under the topic Early Kachel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kachel Spelling Variations

Medieval spelling was at best an intuitive process, and translation between Gaelic and English was no more effective. These factors caused an enormous number of spelling variations in Dalriadan names. In fact, it was not uncommon to see a father and son who spelled their name differently. Over the years, Kachel has been spelled MacAskill, MacAskill, Gaskell, Gaskill, MacGaskill, MacKaskil, MacKaskill and many more.

Early Notables of the Kachel family

Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kachel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Kachel migration to the United States +

Scottish settlers arrived in many of the communities that became the backbones of the United States and Canada. Many stayed, but some headed west for the endless open country of the prairies. In the American War of Independence, many Scots who remained loyal to England re-settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots across North America were able to recover much of their lost heritage in the 20th century as Clan societies and highland games sprang up across North America. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Kachels to arrive on North American shores:

Kachel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Andreas Kachel, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1750 1
  • Han Adreas Kachel, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 1
  • Michael Kachel, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752 1


The Kachel 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: Spea
Motto Translation: By hope.


  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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