Show ContentsMcCoulough History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient name McCoulough was first used by the Strathclyde people of the Scottish/English Borderlands. The name is derived from the Gaelic personal name Cullach, meaning boar.

Early Origins of the McCoulough family

The surname McCoulough 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 McCoulough family

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

McCoulough Spelling Variations

Surnames that evolved in Scotland in the Middle Ages often appear under many spelling variations. These are due to the practice of spelling according to sound in the era before dictionaries had standardized the English language. McCoulough has appeared as MacCulloch, MacCullagh, MacCully, MacCullough, MacCulley, MacCullaugh, MacCullock, MacCullie, MacLulich and many more.

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

Ireland Migration of the McCoulough family to Ireland

Some of the McCoulough 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.


United States McCoulough migration to the United States +

The North American colonies beckoned, with their ample land and opportunity as their freedom from the persecution suffered by so many Clan families back home. Many Scots even fought against England in the American War of Independence to gain this freedom. Recently, clan societies have allowed the ancestors of these brave Scottish settlers to rediscover their familial roots. Among them:

McCoulough Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Henry McCoulough, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1864 1


The McCoulough 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.


  1. 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)


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