Cooleen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Cooleen

What does the name Cooleen mean?

The Dalriadan clans of ancient Scotland spawned the ancestors of the Cooleen family. Their name comes from the Scottish name MacCallum, which means "the son of the gillie of Callum." However, the full form of the name was used until the 17th century. The Callums were an import branch of the Clan McLeod of Raasay.

Early Origins of the Cooleen family

The surname Cooleen 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 very early times.

Early History of the Cooleen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cooleen research. Another 126 words (9 lines of text) covering the year 1636 is included under the topic Early Cooleen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cooleen Spelling Variations

The medieval practice of spelling according to sound and repeated translation between Gaelic and English created many spelling variations of the same name. Cooleen has been recorded as Callum, MacColum, MacCallum, Colum, Callam, Callem, Calam and many more.

Early Notables of the Cooleen family

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

Migration of the Cooleen family to Ireland

Some of the Cooleen family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 32 words (2 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 Cooleen family

Descendents of Dalriadan-Scottish families still populate many communities across North America. They are particularly common in Canada, since many went north as United Empire Loyalists at the time of the American War of Independence. Much later, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the highland games and Clan societies that now dot North America sprang up, allowing many Scots to recover their lost national heritage. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Cooleen, or a variant listed above: Patrick Callum who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1868.

The Cooleen 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: In ardua tendit
Motto Translation: He reaches towards things difficult of attainment.