Arrate History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Etymology of Arrate

What does the name Arrate mean?

The annals of Scottish history reveal that Arrate was first used as a name by ancestors of the Pictish tribe of ancient Scotland. The Arrate family lived in the lands of Arrat, near Brechin in Angus. While the name is quite rare there now, in the middle of the 16th century, the name was quite well known.

Early Origins of the Arrate family

The surname Arrate was first found in Angus (Gaelic: Aonghas), part of the Tayside region of northeastern Scotland, and present day Council Area of Angus, formerly known as Forfar or Forfarshire, where they held a family seat from very early times, some say from about the 11th century. William of Arrath held the lands of Arrat in Brechin in Angus about 1250.

Early History of the Arrate family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Arrate research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1264, 1296, 1378, 1473, 1528 and 1678 are included under the topic Early Arrate History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Arrate Spelling Variations

Before the first dictionaries appeared in the last few hundred years, scribes spelled according to sound. spelling variations are common among Scottish names. Arrate has been spelled Arath, Arrath, Arat, Aratt, Aratts, Arratt, Arrat, Arrot, Arroth, Arrott, Arrothe, Arrathe, Arrade and many more.

Early Notables of the Arrate family

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

Migration of the Arrate family

In those unstable times, many had no choice but to leave their beloved homelands. Sickness and poverty hounded travelers to North America, but those who made it were welcomed with land and opportunity. These settlers gave the young nations of Canada and the United States a strong backbone as they stood up for their beliefs as United Empire Loyalists and in the American War of Independence. In this century, the ancestors of these brave Scots have begun to recover their illustrious heritage through Clan societies and other heritage organizations. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Scottish settlers bearing the name Arrate: Leonard Aratts and his wife who settled in Pennsylvania in 1683; John Arett who settled in Virginia in 1634; D. Arratt landed in New York State in 1822.

The Arrate 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: Antiquum assero decus
Motto Translation: I claim ancient honour.