McCouloe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

In the Scottish/English Borderlands, the Strathclyde Britons were the first to use the name McCouloe. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name Cullach, meaning boar.

Early Origins of the McCouloe family

The surname McCouloe 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 McCouloe family

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

McCouloe Spelling Variations

In Medieval times, spelling and translation were not nearly so highly developed as today. They were generally carried out according to the sound and intuition of the bearer. For that reason spelling variations are extremely common among early Scottish names. McCouloe has been spelled MacCulloch, MacCullagh, MacCully, MacCullough, MacCulley, MacCullaugh, MacCullock, MacCullie, MacLulich and many more.

Early Notables of the McCouloe 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 McCouloe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McCouloe family to Ireland

Some of the McCouloe 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.

Migration of the McCouloe family

Unrest, poverty, and persecution caused thousands to look for opportunity and freedom in the North American colonies. The crossing was long, overcrowded, and unsanitary, though, and came only at great expense. Many Strathclyde families settled on the east coast of North America in communities that would form the backbone of what would become the great nations of the United States and Canada. The American War of Independence caused those who remained loyal to England to move north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the 20th century, Strathclyde and other Scottish families across North America began to recover their collective heritage through highland games and Clan societies. Among them: Robert MacCullaugh who settled in Jamaica in 1716; John and Jane MacCulloch settled in Charles Town in 1762; Barbara and Hugh MacCullock settled in Maryland in 1774.

The McCouloe 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.