McArtor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  Scotland 
  Ireland 


The Clan from whom the McArtor family descends began among the ancient Dalriadan kingdom of the west coast of Scotland. Their name comes from the Celtic personal name Arthur. It denotes the 'son of arthur', which means noble one.

Early Origins of the McArtor family

The surname McArtor was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the census rolls taken by the ancient Kings of Scotland to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the McArtor family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McArtor research. Another 184 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1427, 1767, 1817 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McArtor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McArtor Spelling Variations

Historical recordings of the name McArtor include many spelling variations. They are the result of repeated translations of the name from Gaelic to English and inconsistencies in spelling rules. They include MacArthur, MacArtair, MacArter and many more.

Early Notables of the McArtor family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was Alister MacArthur who was beheaded by James I in 1427; and John MacArthur of the Strachur branch (1767) who journeyed to Australia with the 102nd Regiment. He became actively involved in the development...
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McArtor Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McArtor family to Ireland

Some of the McArtor 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.


McArtor migration to the United States +

Significant portions of the populations of both the United States and Canada are still made up of the ancestors of Dalriadan families. Some of those in Canada originally settled the United States, but went north as United Empire Loyalists in the American War of Independence. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the ancestors of many Scots on both sides of the border begin to recover their collective national heritage through Clan societies and highland games. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

McArtor Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name McArtor (post 1700) +


The McArtor 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: Fide et opera
Motto Translation: By fidelity and work.
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