The ancient Pictish-Scottish family that first used the name Cowale lived in Coull, in
Aberdeenshire. There is also another place so named, in the Highland Region, which may have independently given rise to this surname.
Early Origins of the Cowale family
The surname Cowale was first found in
Aberdeenshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen, located in the Grampian region of northeastern
Scotland in the parish of Coull.
"This place is supposed to have taken its name, which signifies a 'corner,' from its situation in the south-eastern extremity of the district of Cromar. " [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Coull Castle was an 13th-century castle to the south of Coull. Only traces of the castle can be found today.
Early History of the Cowale family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cowale research.
Another 106 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1219 and 1567 are included under the topic Early Cowale History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Cowale 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. Cowale has been spelled Coull, Coul, Cowill, Cowell, Cull, Cowles, Cowl, Cowle and many more.
Early Notables of the Cowale family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Cowale Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Cowale family to the New World and Oceana
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 Cowale: John Coule who settled in Virginia in 1654; Francis Coull arrived in Philadelphia in 1856; Martin and Sam Cowl arrived in San Francisco in 1850; Ira Cowles arrived in New York in 1820 with his apprentice.
The Cowale 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: Cole Deum
Motto Translation: Worship God.
Cowale Family Crest Products
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Citations
- ^ Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.