Show ContentsDougale History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The root of the ancient Dalriadan-Scottish name Dougale is the personal name Dougal. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Dhughaill and literally means son of Dougal.

Early Origins of the Dougale family

The surname Dougale was first found in Galloway (Gaelic: Gall-ghaidhealaibh), an area of southwestern Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway, that formerly consisted of the counties of Wigtown (West Galloway) and Kirkcudbright (East Galloway), where they were descended from Dugall eldest son of Somerled, first Lord of the Isles, and his son Duncan who received the lands of Lorn. The Clan was a bitter foe of Robert the Bruce, who made a narrow escape during one battle with the MacDougals only by discarding his cloak. The brooch of this cloak, now known as the Brooch of Lorn, is a treasured possession of the Chief of the Clan. The Clan faced heavy retaliation and was stripped of their lands once Robert the Bruce secured the Scottish throne. The lands were restored to the Clan upon the death of the king, but passed to the Stewarts in 1388 when the last member of the senior branch of MacDougals died without issue.

Early History of the Dougale family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dougale research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1175, 1244 and 1316 are included under the topic Early Dougale History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dougale Spelling Variations

The translation of Gaelic names in the Middle Ages was not a task undertaken with great care. Records from that era show an enormous number of spelling variations, even in names referring to the same person. Over the years Dougale has appeared as MacDougall, MacDowall, MacDowell, MacDugald, MacDill and many more.

Early Notables of the Dougale family

Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dougale Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Dougale family to Ireland

Some of the Dougale family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Dougale migration to the United States +

Many settled along the east coast of what would become the United States and Canada. As the American War of Independence broke out, those who remained loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these hardy Dalriadan-Scottish settlers began to recover their collective history in the 20th century with the advent of the vibrant culture fostered by highland games and Clan societies in North America. Highland games, clan societies, and other organizations generated much renewed interest in Scottish heritage in the 20th century. The Dougale were among the earliest of the Scottish settlers as immigration passenger lists have shown:

Dougale Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Ann Dougale, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1766 1
  • Robert Dougale, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1766 1
  • Jonas Dougale, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1766 1
  • Thomas Dougale, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1766 1


The Dougale 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: Buaidh no bàs
Motto Translation: Victory or death


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook