Andro History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The ancestors of the first family to use the name Andro lived among the Pictish people of ancient Scotland. The name Andro is derived from the baptismal name Andrew which in Greek means manly. The name was popular as both a personal name and a surname, likely because it was the name of Scotland's patron saint. In Gaelic the name is Aindrea and Anndra which again means manly.

Early Origins of the Andro family

The surname Andro was first found in Caithness (Gaelic: Gallaibh), the northern tip of Scotland, a Norse/Viking controlled region from the 9th century, which became the Earldom of Caithness.

This family was strongly associated with the Clan Ross. It was originally known as the Clan Siol Andrea, meaning the race of Andrew. However, from about the year 1100 the Andrews moved south to the Dumfriesshire area of southwest Scotland. Duncan Andrew, Chief of the Clan, rendered homage to King Edward I of England in 1296. [1]

Some of the family were found further south in England, specifically at Shotley in Northumberland where "Shotley Hall is said to have been built by Dr. Andrews, physician to the first royal Duke of Cumberland." [2]

Sir Edmund Andros (1637-1714) was born in London and rose to become an English colonial administrator in North America. The 1689 Boston revolt was directly attributed to his actions in New England.

Early History of the Andro family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Andro research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1395, 1463, 1510, 1537, 1600, 1604, 1637, 1649, 1650, 1659, 1660, 1661, 1666, 1672, 1674, 1714, 1890 and 1958 are included under the topic Early Andro History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Andro Spelling Variations

The arts of spelling and translation were yet in their infancies when surnames began, so there are an enormous number of spelling variations of the names in early Scottish records. This is a particular problem with Scottish names because of the numerous times a name might have been loosely translated to English from Gaelic and back. Andro has been spelled Andrew, Andrews, MacAndrew, Androw, Androe, Andro and many more.

Early Notables of the Andro family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

Sir Edmund Andros (1637-1714), was a colonial governor, the second son of a Guernsey gentleman belonging to Charles I's household. He was appointed gentleman in ordinary to the Queen of Bohemia in 166...

Andro Ranking

In France, the name Andro is the 6,386^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. [3]

Migration of the Andro family to Ireland

Some of the Andro family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 77 words (6 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 Andro family

This oppression forced many Scots to leave their homelands. Most of these chose North America as their destination. Although the journey left many sick and poor, these immigrants were welcomed the hardy with great opportunity. Many of these settlers stood up for their newfound freedom in the American War of Independence. More recently, Scots abroad have recovered much of their collective heritage through highland games and other patriotic functions and groups. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has located various settlers bearing the name Andro: Ralph Andrew, son of Thomas Andrew of Carlisle, who landed in America in 1664; John Andrew, son of Sir John Andrew of Charlton, landed in 1650; William Andrew settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a ships captain who settled in 1634.

Contemporary Notables of the name Andro (post 1700) +

Claude Andro, French chauffeur of Paris
Andro Linklater (1944-2013), Scottish non-fiction writer and historian, youngest son of Eric Linklater

The Andro 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: Victrix fortuna sapientia
Motto Translation: Wisdom is the conqueror of fortune.

Citations +

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)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/