Slaght History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe name Slaght is Anglo-Saxon in origin. It was a name given to a person who covered roofs with slate. Slaght is an occupational surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. Occupational surnames were derived from the primary activity of the bearer. In the Middle Ages, people did not generally live off of the fruits of their labor in a particular job. Rather, they performed a specialized task, as well as farming, for subsistence. Other occupational names were derived from an object associated with a particular activity. This type of surname is called a metonymic surname. This surname comes from the Old English word esclate, which means splinter or slat. Early Origins of the Slaght familyThe surname Slaght was first found in Derbyshire where the earliest records of the family were found at Barlborough near Chesterfield in Derbyshire. As an occupational name, the family name was a trade name of a roofer and was originally spelled Sclater. This spelling is still used as far north into Scotland, specifically the Shetlands and the Orkney Islands, where their territories were in Burnes. "Robert Sklatare sold his tenement in Glasgow in 1430, John Sclater was a burgess of Arnbroath in 1458, and another John Sclatar witnessed a Forfarshire obligation in 1497." 1 Early census records in Britain revealed Thomas le Sclatatere in Worcestershire in 1255 and Saundr le Sclattur in 1278 in Oxfordshire. 2 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: Adam le Scatterre and Richard le Sclattere in Oxfordshire and Walter Sclatter in Buckinghamshire. 3 "The living [of Tetsworth, Oxfordshire] is a vicarage, in the gift of the Slater family: the great tithes have been commuted for £210, and the small tithes for £115." 4 The Sclaters of Hoddington, claim to have borrowed their name from the parish of Slaughter, or Schlauter in Gloucestershire where they were lords of the manor of over three hundred years. 5 Early History of the Slaght familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Slaght research. Another 234 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1508, 1514, 1550, 1571, 1575, 1576, 1609, 1612, 1615, 1616, 1620, 1623, 1626, 1634, 1636, 1640, 1659, 1662, 1663, 1664, 1667, 1676, 1679, 1683, 1684, 1685, 1690, 1699 and 1717 are included under the topic Early Slaght History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Slaght Spelling VariationsUntil the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Slaght include Sclater, Slater, Slatter, Sklater and others. Early Notables of the Slaght familyDistinguished members of the family include William Sclater (1575-1626), rector of Pitminster, the second son of Anthony Sclater, of ancient Northumbrian descent, who is said to have held the benefice of Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire for fifty years, and to have died in 1620, aged 100. William Sclater (d. 1717?), was an English nonjuring divine, born at Exeter, the only son of William Sclater, rector of St. Peter-le-Poer, and grandson of William Sclater... Migration of the Slaght family to IrelandSome of the Slaght family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Slaght were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Slaght Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
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: Crescit sub pondere virtus Motto Translation: Virtue thrives under oppression.
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