MacAllish History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

In the mountains of Scotland's west coast and on the Hebrides islands, the ancestors of the MacAllish family were born. Their name comes from the Gaelic words "gille Iose," which means "servant of Jesus."

Early Origins of the MacAllish family

The surname MacAllish was first found in Lothian, where a member of the family was a witness to the charter, by King David I, to the Abbey of Holyrood. In 1160, Vhtred Gilise inherited the estates in Lothian. It is also recorded that M. filius Gilise, who was a close confidant of King Malcolm IV of Scotland, was witness to a charter signed at the Abbey of Scone in 1164.

Early History of the MacAllish family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacAllish research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1264, 1376, 1521, 1747, 1778, 1793, 1836 and 1890 are included under the topic Early MacAllish History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacAllish Spelling Variations

In various documents MacAllish has been spelled Since medieval scribes still spelled according to sound, records from that era contain an enormous number of spelling variations. Gillies, Gillis, Gillie, Gilly, Gilles, Gillieson and many more.

Early Notables of the MacAllish family

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacAllish Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the MacAllish family to Ireland

Some of the MacAllish family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 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 MacAllish family

The descendants of the Dalriadan families who made the great crossing of the Atlantic still dot communities along the east coast of the United States and Canada. In the American War of Independence, many of the settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Clan societies and highland games have allowed Canadian and American families of Scottish descent to recover much of their lost heritage. Investigation of the origins of family names on the North American continent has revealed that early immigrants bearing the name MacAllish or a variant listed above include: Annette Gillis landed in New York in 1662; Elin Gillis settled in Virginia in 1649; Sarah Gillis settled in New Jersey in 1773; Ann Gillies settled in Pennsylvania in 1773.

The MacAllish 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: Touch not the cat without a glove