MacAter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The Hebrides islands and the west coast of Scotland are the ancestral home of the MacAter family. Their name comes from the Gaelic form Mac-an-Tsaoir, which denotes son of the carpenter or wright.

Early Origins of the MacAter family

The surname MacAter was first found in on the Isle of Iona, 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.

Early History of the MacAter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacAter research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1372, 1564 and 1890 are included under the topic Early MacAter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacAter Spelling Variations

Medieval translation of Gaelic names could not be referred to as an accurate process. Spelling was not yet standardized, and names in documents from that era are riddled with spelling variations. MacAter has been written as MacAteer, MacTear, MacTeir, MacTire, MacAtee, MacAtter, MacAttur and many more.

Early Notables of the MacAter family

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

Migration of the MacAter family to Ireland

Some of the MacAter family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 80 words (6 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 MacAter family

Ancestors of many of the Dalriadan families who crossed the Atlantic still live along the east coast of the United States and Canada. Some Scottish settlers arrived in Canada during the American War of Independence as United Empire Loyalists, while others stayed south to fight for a new nation. The descendants of Scottish settlers in both countries began to rediscover their heritage in the 19th and 20th centuries through Clan societies and highland games. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name MacAter or a variant listed above: William MacAteer settled in Pennsylvania in 1772; Edward MacAtee settled in Philadelphia in 1864; Mark MacAtter settled in New York in 1811; James MacAttur settled in New York in 1811.

The MacAter 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: Per ardua
Motto Translation: Through difficulties.