MacCulloch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland/England
Scotland
Ireland

Among the clans of the Scottish/English Borderlands, the Strathclyde Britons were the first to use the name MacCulloch. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name Cullach, meaning boar.

Early Origins of the MacCulloch family

The surname MacCulloch was first found in Wigtownshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Bhaile na h-Uige), formerly a county in southwestern Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway where one of the first on record was Andrew MacCulloch who served King William the Lion of Scotland and received the lands of Myretoun (now Monreith near Whitehorn in Wigtown). However ancient records show the Clan as being mentioned in the year 743 in that area.

Early History of the MacCulloch family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacCulloch research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1354, 1470, 1640, 1697 and 1890 are included under the topic Early MacCulloch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacCulloch Spelling Variations

The origin of rules governing the spelling of names and even words is a very recent innovation. Before that, words and names were spelled according to sound, and, therefore, often appeared under several different spelling variations in a single document. MacCulloch has been spelled MacCulloch, MacCullagh, MacCully, MacCullough, MacCulley, MacCullaugh, MacCullock, MacCullie, MacLulich and many more.

Early Notables of the MacCulloch family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Sir Godfrey McCulloch, 2nd Baronet of Mertoun (c.1640-1697), a Scottish politician executed for the murder of William Gordon who died from a shot in the leg, partly as a result of a long-standing feud. Following the execution, much of his family emigrated to America...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacCulloch Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the MacCulloch family to Ireland

Some of the MacCulloch family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacCulloch migration to the United States +

The persecution faced in their homeland left many Scots with little to do but sail for the colonies of North America. There they found land, freedom, opportunity, and nations in the making. They fought for their freedom in the American War of Independence, or traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In both cases, they made enormous contributions to the formation of those great nations. Among them:

MacCulloch Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John and Jane MacCulloch, who settled in Charles Town in 1762

MacCulloch Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Geo MacCulloch, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1811 1
Mary MacCulloch, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 1
William MacCulloch, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 1
James MacCulloch, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 1

Contemporary Notables of the name MacCulloch (post 1700) +

Annalise MacCulloch, American actress, known for her role a Torren in Stargate: Atlantis (2008)
Kristen MacCulloch, American actress, known for American Dynasties: The Kennedys (2018), Go Fish (2016) and Things Have Changed Since Kindergarten (2016)
John MacCulloch FRS (1773-1835), Scottish geologist who produced the first geological maps of Scotland and introduced the word "malaria" into the English language
Todd Carlyle MacCulloch (b. 1976), Canadian retired professional basketball player from Winnipeg, Manitoba
Diarmaid Ninian John MacCulloch (b. 1951), English writer and professor of the History in the University of Oxford from Kent, England, known for A History of Christianity (2009), Inside the Court of Henry VIII (2015) and How God Made the English (2012)

The MacCulloch 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: Vi et animo
Motto Translation: By strength and courage.

Citations +

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)