Maddole History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The Maddole family comes from the ancient Scottish Dalriadan clans of the mountainous west coast of Scotland. The name Maddole is derived from the personal name Dougal. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Dhughaill and literally means son of Dougal.

Early Origins of the Maddole family

The surname Maddole was first found in Galloway (Gaelic: Gall-ghaidhealaibh), an area of southwestern Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway, that formerly consisted of the counties of Wigtown (West Galloway) and Kirkcudbright (East Galloway), where they were descended from Dugall eldest son of Somerled, first Lord of the Isles, and his son Duncan who received the lands of Lorn. The Clan was a bitter foe of Robert the Bruce, who made a narrow escape during one battle with the MacDougals only by discarding his cloak. The brooch of this cloak, now known as the Brooch of Lorn, is a treasured possession of the Chief of the Clan. The Clan faced heavy retaliation and was stripped of their lands once Robert the Bruce secured the Scottish throne. The lands were restored to the Clan upon the death of the king, but passed to the Stewarts in 1388 when the last member of the senior branch of MacDougals died without issue.

Early History of the Maddole family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Maddole research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1175, 1244 and 1316 are included under the topic Early Maddole History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Maddole Spelling Variations

Spelling variations were extremely common in medieval names, since scribes from that era recorded names according to sound rather than a standard set of rules. Maddole has appeared in various documents spelled MacDougall, MacDowall, MacDowell, MacDugald, MacDill and many more.

Early Notables of the Maddole family

Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Maddole Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Maddole family to Ireland

Some of the Maddole family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Maddole family

Dalriadan families proliferated in North America. Their descendants still populate many communities in the eastern parts of both the United States and Canada. Some settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists, in the wake of the American War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border have recovered much of their heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and highland games. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Maddole or a variant listed above: Ralph, Patrick and Mary MacDougal settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1767; Dougal and Hugh MacDougal settled in Charles Town in 1767.

The Maddole 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: Buaidh no bàs
Motto Translation: Victory or death