Cregory Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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The Dalriadan clans of ancient Scotland spawned the ancestors of the Cregory family. Their name comes from the given name Gregory. The Gaelic form of the name was Mac Griogain, which translates as son of Gregory.

Cregory Early Origins

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The surname Cregory 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, as their origins can be traced back to Griogair, son of the eighth century King Alpin of Scotland, the High King of the Scots and Picts who died in 860 AD. Hence, their famous motto translates from Gaelic as 'Royal is my blood.' They are the principal branch of the Siol Alpine whose representative, King Kenneth the Hardy, was son of MacAlpin, the first King of the Scots.

Cregory 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. Cregory has been recorded as MacGregor, MacGrigor, MacGrioghair (Gaelic) and others.

Cregory Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cregory research. Another 813 words (58 lines of text) covering the years 1587, 1000, 1603, 1603, 1888, 1671, 1734 and are included under the topic Early Cregory History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cregory Early Notables (pre 1700)

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cregory Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cregory In Ireland

Some of the Cregory family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

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 Cregory, or a variant listed above: Duncan McGregor settled in South Carolina in 1716; along with Mall; Gregor McGregor settled in Virginia along with John in 1716; John McGregor settled in Boston in 1766.

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: 'S Rioghal Mo Dhream
Motto Translation: Royal is my blood.

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Citations

Other References

Bell, Robert. The Book of Ulster Surnames. Belfast: Blackstaff, 1988. Print. (ISBN 10-0856404160).
Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Galveston Texas 1896-1951. National Archives Washington DC. Print.
Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Glasgow: Harper Collins, 1995. Print.
Bowman, George Ernest. The Mayflower Reader A Selection of Articales from The Mayflower Descendent. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print.
Urquhart, Blair Edition. Tartans The New Compact Study Guide and Identifier. Secauccus, NJ: Chartwell Books, 1994. Print. (ISBN 0-7858-0050-6).
Skordas, Guest. Ed. The Early Settlers of Maryland an Index to Names or Immigrants Complied from Records of Land Patents 1633-1680 in the Hall of Records Annapolis, Maryland. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1968. Print.
Burke, Sir Bernard. Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry Including American Families with British Ancestry 2 Volumes. London: Burke Publishing, 1939. Print.
Best, Hugh. Debrett's Texas Peerage. New York: Coward-McCann, 1983. Print. (ISBN 069811244X).
Moody David. Scottish Family History. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1994. Print. (ISBN 0806312688).
Bradford, William. History of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647 Edited by Samuel Eliot Morrison 2 Volumes. New York: Russell and Russell, 1968. Print.
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The Cregory Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Cregory Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 15 January 2014 at 13:49.