Allowy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Allowy

What does the name Allowy mean?

The story of the Allowy family begins in ancient Scotland among the Pictish clans. The Allowy family lived in Aberdeen but originally from Clackmannan. The name may be derived from the Gaelic alla which means wild and mhagh which means field.

Early Origins of the Allowy family

The surname Allowy was first found in the county of Clackmannanshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Chlach Mhannainn), nicknamed the "wee county," it is the smallest Council Area of Scotland, located in southeastern Scotland. According to Black, the most likely source of their origin was Alloa in the Aberdeen area. 1

The first recorded spelling of the name was Alleway, about the year 1359. Alloway is a former Scottish village that is now a suburb of Ayr, best known as the birthplace of Robert Burns and the setting for his poem "Tam o' Shanter." In North America, the word Alloway is a Delaware Indian term meaning "beautiful tail" and refers to the black fox.

Early History of the Allowy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Allowy research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1440 and 1772 are included under the topic Early Allowy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Allowy Spelling Variations

Translation has done much to alter the appearance of many Scottish names. It was a haphazard process that lacked a basic system of rules. Spelling variations were a common result of this process. Allowy has appeared Alloway, Alleway, Aloveious, Alloweious, Allaway, Alliway, Alloway, Aloway, Alaway, Aleway, Alewy, Alloways, Allawy, Aylwey and many more.

Early Notables of the Allowy family

More information is included under the topic Early Allowy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Allowy family to Ireland

Some of the Allowy family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 32 words (2 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 Allowy family

Many Scots left their country to travel to the North American colonies in search of the freedom they could not find at home. Of those who survived the difficult voyage, many found the freedom they so desired. There they could choose their own beliefs and allegiances. Some became United Empire Loyalists and others fought in the American War of Independence. The Clan societies and highland games that have sprung up in the last century have allowed many of these disparate Scots to recover their collective national identity. A search of immigration and passenger ship lists revealed many early settlers bearing the Allowy name: William Alloway who settled in Pennsylvania in 1682; but John Alloway had settled in Virginia twenty years before. Mary Alloway arrived in 1770; and Samuel Alloway arrived in New Orleans in 1823..

The Allowy 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: Dei dono sum quod sum
Motto Translation: By the bounty of God I am what I am.

Sources +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)