Clayhorn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The roots of the name Clayhorn are found among the Strathclyde-Briton people of the ancient Scottish/English Borderlands. Clayhorn was originally found in Cleghorn, Lanarkshire.

Early Origins of the Clayhorn family

The surname Clayhorn was first found in Lanarkshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig) a former county in the central Strathclyde region of Scotland, now divided into the Council Areas of North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and the City of Glasgow. Cleghorn in a small village north-east of the town of Lanark and is the ancient home to the family.

"The home of the Cleghorns is in the West of Scotland, but a group of families of the name flourished in the parish of Cramond for several generations, and Robert Cleghorn, farmer, at Saughton, near Edinburgh, was a friend of Robert Burns." 1

Early History of the Clayhorn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Clayhorn research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1541 is included under the topic Early Clayhorn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clayhorn Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that rules have developed and the process of spelling according to sound has been abandoned. Scottish names from before that time tend to appear under many different spelling variations. Clayhorn has been spelled Claghorn, Cleghorn, Claghorne, Cleghorne, Gleghorn and many more.

Early Notables of the Clayhorn family

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

Migration of the Clayhorn family

Unwelcome in their beloved homeland, many Scots sailed for the colonies of North America. There, they found land and freedom, and even the opportunity to make a new nation in the American War of Independence. These Scottish settlers played essential roles in the founding of the United States, and the shaping of contemporary North America. Among them: James Claghorn who settled in New England in 1652; Robert Cleghorn settled in New England in 1771.

The Clayhorn 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: Insperata floruit
Motto Translation: It has flourished beyond expectations

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)