Spotswood History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Spotswood family

The surname Spotswood was first found in Berwickshire where "the name is derived from the barony of Spottiswoode. The family were benefactors to the Abbeys of Melrose and Kelso in early times. The immediate ancestor or Spottiswoode, still 'of that Ilk,' was Robert de Spottiswood, who was born in the reign of King Alexander III., and died in that of Robert Bruce. " 1

Early History of the Spotswood family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Spotswood research. Another 131 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1510, 1513, 1565, 1567, 1585, 1596, 1597, 1637, 1639, 1645, 1646, 1666, 1676, 1710, 1728, 1740 and 1923 are included under the topic Early Spotswood History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Spotswood Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Spottiswood, Spottiswode, Sportwode, Sportwood, Spotswood and many more.

Early Notables of the Spotswood family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

Alexander Spotswood (c. 1676-1740), born at Tangier, was Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army and a noted Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. He was the only son of Robert Spotswood and his wife Cather...

Migration of the Spotswood family to Ireland

Some of the Spotswood family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Spotswood migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Spotswood Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Alexander Spotswood, who arrived in Virginia in 1740 2

Spotswood Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Spotswood, aged 37, who arrived in New York in 1812 2
F. Spotswood who settled in San Francisco in 1851
Miss. A. R. Spotswood, aged 30, who landed in America, in 1896
Thomas Spotswood, aged 26, who settled in America, in 1896

Spotswood Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Anna Spotswood, aged 27, who immigrated to the United States, in 1905
Dandridge Spotswood, aged 27, who landed in America, in 1908
Fandridge Spotswood, aged 25, who immigrated to America, in 1910
Virginia Spotswood, aged 44, who landed in America, in 1913
Mary Frances L. Spotswood, aged 46, who immigrated to the United States from London, England, in 1913
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Spotswood (post 1700) +

Kendra Spotswood, American soul singer, member of The Shirelles
Dick Spotswood (b. 1947), American political writer for the Marin Independent Journal
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Denis Spotswood GCB, CBE, DSO, DFC (1916-2001), British Marshall of the Royal Air Force, and Vice Chairman of Rolls Royce
Louisa Jane Spotswood, birth name of Lousa Seddon, wife of John Seddon in 1869, the 15th Prime Minister of New Zealand, eponym of Spotswood, New Zealand
Wayne Spotswood MD, CCFP, CCFP(EM), FRCPC, retired Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Dr. FIona Spotswood, Senior Lecturer at the University of the West of England, Bristol
Alexander Spotswood (1676-1740), Morocco-born, Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia; he built the first colonial iron works and negotiated the Treaty of Albany

The Spotswood 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: Patior ut potiar
Motto Translation: I suffer that I may obtain.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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)