Caskill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Etymology of Caskill

What does the name Caskill mean?

On the Scottish west coast, the Caskill family was born among the ancient Dalriadan clans. Their name comes from an ancient Norse warrior name Askell, which means cauldron of the Gods and denoted son of Asgaill.

Early Origins of the Caskill family

The surname Caskill was first found in living on the Islands of Skye and of Lewis (Scottish Gaelic: Leòdhas), where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects. On Skye, ancestors of the Caskill Clan occupied the district of "Rubha an Dunain, " where the ruins of the family residence may seen to this day.

Early History of the Caskill family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Caskill research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1795 and 1863 are included under the topic Early Caskill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Caskill Spelling Variations

In the Middle Ages, the translation between Gaelic and English was not a highly developed process. Spelling was not yet standardized, and so, an enormous number of spelling variations appear in records of early Scottish names. Caskill has appeared as MacAskill, MacAskill, Gaskell, Gaskill, MacGaskill, MacKaskil, MacKaskill and many more.

Early Notables of the Caskill family

Kenneth MacAskill of Rhundunan, who was a Justice of the Peace and a member of the Royal Fencible Highland Regiment, having joined them in 1795

Caskill migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Caskill Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

S A Caskill, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1839

The Caskill 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: Spea
Motto Translation: By hope.